Extreme weather costs carib $$M

Four Caribbean countries in 2008 recorded losses of $254 million and 62 deaths due to extreme weather events, including floods and heat waves, all associated with climate change.

That’s according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2010 report recently launched by Germanwatch at the United Nations Climate change meeting in Cophagen. The Climate Risk Index 2010 is based on figures from 2008 and also on analysis of the world data collection on losses caused by weather events from 1998-2008.

Germanwatch is an independent non-government organization that focuses on international issues, such as trade, environment and relationship between developed and developing countries.

It ranked Haiti as the 24th most vulnerable in 2008, but 22nd over the 1998-2008 period.

Haiti had losses of $54 million or 0.4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while 316 persons died as a result of the weather events.

The Dominican Republic ranked 50th in 2008 but 27th between l998-2008. About 15 persons died during weather events in 2008 and losses were about US$465 million or 0.04 percent of GDP.

While Antigua and Barbuda had no deaths from storms, floods and heat waves in 2008, they still had losses of $38 million or five percent of their GPD.

At the same time 13 Jamaicans died due to weather-related events in 2008, resulting in a 21st ranking. Nine percent of the Jamaican GDP was lost due to weather-related events.