Climate impacts to scythe 18 per cent off global GDP by 2050, Swiss Re warns

Michael Holder
clock • 3 min read

Insurance giant's stress test of 48 major economies finds climate impacts are on course to make world trillions of dollars poorer

Climate change is on course to slash up to 18 per cent off global GDP by 2050, making the world trillions of dollars poorer if mitigating action is not taken and global temperatures soar to 3.2C above...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Michael Holder
Author spotlight

Michael Holder

Environmental journalist and editor

View profile
More from Michael Holder

'Collect £5m - Burn the planet': Climate protestors disrupt Reform UK conference

BNEF: Europe needs $1.3tr of investment annually to reach net zero by 2050

More on Risk

Study: Carbon markets overlook value of natural carbon sinks
Risk

Study: Carbon markets overlook value of natural carbon sinks

Land and ocean carbon sinks are under pressure, but carbon pricing mechanisms are struggling to protect them, Wood Mackenzie warns

Amber Rolt
clock 04 September 2026 • 4 min read
National Heat Risk Commission warns escalating heat impacts are 'well documented but poorly governed'
Risk

National Heat Risk Commission warns escalating heat impacts are 'well documented but poorly governed'

New report argues heat risks and the policies and investments required to combat them are now well understood, but ‘delivery is absent’

James Murray
James Murray
clock 03 September 2026 • 4 min read
Report: World should now expect $450bn a year in losses from natural disasters
Risk

Report: World should now expect $450bn a year in losses from natural disasters

Increase in severity of storms, floods, wildfires and more - as well as rising property values and insurance costs - spurs surge in modelled losses from natural catastrophes in a given year, according to Verisk

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 01 September 2026 • 4 min read