異常気象による死者、過去２０年間で４８万人　報告

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】異常気象事象に関連した自然災害による過去20年間の死者が50万人近くに上ると、ドイツの環境シンクタンクが新たに発表した評価報告書で明らかになった。（写真は資料写真）
　暴風雨や洪水、熱波など気候関連の災害による死者数は、開発途上国で圧倒的に多くなっている。
　新型コロナウイルスの影響で今年はオンライン開催となった気候適応サミット（ＣＡＳ）の冒頭で、ジャーマンウオッチは、調査報告書「グローバル・クライメート・インデックス」を発表。
　この報告書では、特にカリブ海地域や東アフリカ、南アジアの一部に壊滅的被害を与えたハリケーンやサイクロンが発生した２０１９年の暴風雨シーズンなど、過去２０年間の異常気象事象が人類に与えた直接的脅威についてまとめられている。
　同団体は、こうした災害による今世紀の世界の経済損失は２兆５６００億ドル（約２６６兆円）という膨大な額に上ったと試算している。
　また１万１０００件以上の異常気象事象を分析したところ、２０００年以降で４８万人近くが犠牲となり、死者数が最多だったのは、プエルトリコ、ミャンマー、ハイチだったという。
　報告書の共著者であるデービッド・エクシュタイン氏は、「貧しく脆弱（ぜいじゃく）な国々が、異常気象事象の影響に対応する上で特に大きな難題に直面していることが示された」と述べ、これらの諸国が経済や技術面で援助を緊急に必要としていると指摘した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/01/26-07:58）

Almost half a million people have died in natural disasters linked to extreme weather events in the last 20 years, according to a new assessment of the direct threat posed to humanity by climate change.
The mortality burden of climate-related catastrophes such as storms, flooding and heatwaves is overwhelmingly borne by developing countries.
At the start of the Climate Adaptation Summit, held virtually this year due to the pandemic, the think tank Germanwatch calculated that these disasters have cost the global economy a staggering $2.56 trillion this century.
An analysis of more than 11,000 extreme weather events showed nearly 480,000 fatalities since 2000, with Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti the worst hit countries, it said.
Under the 2015 Paris climate deal, wealthier nations are supposed to provide $100 billion every year to help poorer states mitigate temperature rises and adapt to the changing climate.
But recent research suggests the true amount of funding available to developing countries for climate action is vastly lower.
Germanwatch's Global Climate Index examined the impact of two decades of extreme weather events, particularly the 2019 storm season, which produced hurricanes and cyclones that devastated parts of the Caribbean, east Africa and south Asia.
This shows that poor vulnerable countries face particularly great challenges in dealing with the consequences of extreme weather events, said co-author David Eckstein.
They urgently need financial and technical assistance.
- Funding gap -
Adaptation -- reducing the fallout among communities and increasing their capacity to deal with climate-related disasters such as floods and drought -- is a pillar of the Paris accord.
The deal earmarks $50 billion annually to adaptation, but as disasters have multiplied in the years since it was struck, the United Nations says the cost will balloon over the coming years.
Out of an estimated $70 billion needed by developing nations each year, only $30 billion is currently available.
In its Adaptation Gap report this month, the UN's Environment Programme said the true annual cost of adapting to climate impacts could be as high as $300 billion by 2030 and $500 billion by mid-century.
Eight out of the top ten most affected countries on Monday's index have low or lower middle income per capita.
Poorer countries are hit hardest because they are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of a hazard and have lower coping capacity, said co-author Vera Keunzel.
She said countries such as Haiti, the Philippines and Pakistan were hit nearly constantly by extreme weather events, leading them no time to fully recover from one disaster before the next strikes.
The Climate Adaptation Summit, hosted by the Netherlands, will see countries convene virtually to seek clear commitments to deliver concrete new endeavours to help countries deal with the changing climate.