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Climate Change Drove Much of 2025’s Extreme Weather, WWA Finds

Researchers say 2025 is likely the third consecutive year above 1.5°C, highlighting the limits of adaptation.

Overview

  • WWA catalogued 157 high‑impact events in 2025, including 49 floods, 49 heatwaves, 38 storms, 11 wildfires, 7 droughts and 3 cold snaps.
  • Of 22 events examined with attribution analyses, 17 were judged more likely or more severe due to human‑caused warming, while five extreme‑rainfall cases showed no clear signal amid data gaps in some regions.
  • January’s Los Angeles wildfires caused about 400 deaths and roughly $30 billion in insured losses, with their probability increased by around 35% by climate change.
  • Models indicate August wildfires in northwest Iberia were about 40 times more likely, and Hurricane Melissa’s peak winds reached 288 km/h versus an estimated 270 km/h without warming.
  • German insurers estimate €2.6 billion in 2025 natural‑hazard claims—far below 2024—but caution the dip is luck, as long‑term climate risk grows and vulnerable communities face disproportionate impacts.