Climate change and La Niña drive global natural disaster losses to $270bn in 2022

Michael Holder
clock • 3 min read
Massive destruction on Fort Myers Beach in Florida following Hurricane Ian | Credit: iStock
Image:

Massive destruction on Fort Myers Beach in Florida following Hurricane Ian | Credit: iStock

Insurance giant Munich Re tots up the costs of last year’s devastating floods, storms, heatwaves, and droughts

Last year looks to have been one of the costliest on record for natural disasters, with devastating floods and storms, searing heatwaves, and brutal droughts across the globedriving estimated overall losses...

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

More on Risk

Ordnance Survey launches new tidelines dataset to help manage flood and erosion risk

Ordnance Survey launches new tidelines dataset to help manage flood and erosion risk

New dataset could help monitor and manage worsening coastal erosion and flood risks across the UK

clock 15 December 2025 • 3 min read
'Invisible ingredients': Toxic chemicals accused of causing $3tr a year in preventable costs

'Invisible ingredients': Toxic chemicals accused of causing $3tr a year in preventable costs

Study warns of ecological harms from toxic chemicals, as it argues reducing impacts through proven policies and technologies is feasible and cost-effective

clock 10 December 2025 • 4 min read
Insuring a net zero future: How the insurance sector can turn risk into resilience

Insuring a net zero future: How the insurance sector can turn risk into resilience

Gus Majed, CEO and founder at Paratus, argues the insurance industry must recognise its position as a critical driver of global climate action

Gus Majed, Paratus
clock 09 December 2025 • 4 min read