welt.de
2025 First-Half Natural Disasters Cause Record $131 Billion in Damages
Natural disasters caused $131 billion in damages globally during the first half of 2025, with California wildfires accounting for $53 billion and the Myanmar earthquake claiming 4,500 lives; these figures significantly exceed long-term averages, highlighting the impact of climate change.
- How do rising global temperatures affect the frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters, and what regions are particularly vulnerable?
- These damages, exceeding the long-term average significantly, are attributed to increased frequency and intensity of weather-related events due to global warming. The US suffered the most, with $92 billion in losses (70% of the global total), mainly from wildfires and severe storms; Europe experienced comparatively low damage at around $5 billion.
- What were the global economic and human impacts of natural disasters in the first half of 2025, and what specific events contributed most significantly?
- In the first half of 2025, natural disasters caused $131 billion in worldwide damages, the second highest in a first half-year since 1980. California wildfires alone accounted for $53 billion, the costliest fire disaster ever recorded. The Myanmar earthquake in March caused 4,500 deaths.
- What are the long-term implications of climate change on the frequency and severity of natural disasters, and what proactive measures should be taken to mitigate future risks?
- The rising costs from weather disasters are becoming the "new normal." While Europe was spared major catastrophes in the first half of 2025, the melting permafrost in the Alps poses a growing threat, as exemplified by the significant damage from a rockslide in Switzerland. This underscores the need for increased preparedness for climate-related risks, even in regions previously considered less vulnerable.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing emphasizes the financial scale of the disasters, repeatedly highlighting monetary losses in billions of dollars. While acknowledging the human cost, the financial aspect is prioritized, potentially shaping the reader's perception towards an economic rather than a humanitarian crisis. The headline itself (if any) would heavily influence this.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and factual, relying on statistics and expert quotes. However, phrases such as "the new normality" and "the Grundrauschen wird lauter" (the basic noise gets louder) may imply a certain level of alarmist sentiment, although the context remains largely objective.
Bias by Omission
The analysis focuses heavily on the financial aspects of the natural disasters, mentioning death tolls only in the context of the Myanmar earthquake. Other significant loss of life from other events is omitted. There is no discussion of the societal or ecological impacts beyond the economic losses. The lack of broader context regarding the human cost and environmental consequences constitutes a bias by omission.
False Dichotomy
The analysis presents a dichotomy between Europe's comparatively low damages and the high damages in the US and globally, without exploring the nuances of different disaster preparedness levels or the varied vulnerabilities across regions. This simplification ignores the complexities of risk assessment and disaster response.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights a significant increase in weather-related catastrophes causing immense financial damage ($131 billion in the first half of 2025) globally. This surge is directly attributed to global warming and climate change, resulting in more frequent and intense natural disasters. The melting permafrost in the Alps, exacerbating risks like rock and ice slides, further exemplifies the climate change impacts. The quote "Steigende Schäden aus Wetterkatastrophen sind die neue Normalität" ("Rising damages from weather catastrophes are the new normal") directly reflects the negative impact of climate change.