A recent report by the World Weather Attribution group showed that anthropogenic climate change intensified the devastating floods that hit the Libyan city of Derna in early September 2023, causing thousands of casualties.
The researchers used computer simulations to estimate the increased likelihood of such an event in the current climate compared to pre-warming conditions. They found that climate change made this storm 50 times more likely and contributed to a 50 percent increase in rainfall. This devastating disaster highlights the dangerous combination of severe weather conditions and the vulnerability of people, especially in conflict-ridden regions.
The report points to the urgent need to address climate change, adapt infrastructure to future climate conditions, and improve emergency management to mitigate the growing risk of natural disasters associated with extreme weather events.