Greenpeace comment on new study showing climate polluters made Europe’s deadly floods twice more likely

Amsterdam, Netherlands - Reacting to a rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution that found killer floods and rainfall in Central Europe earlier this month were made twice as likely by climate change induced by fossil fuel warming,

Ian Duff, Head of Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign said:

“We must be clear about who is the victim and who is the villain in the historic floods across Central and Eastern Europe. Oil and gas companies like Total, Shell, and OMV made extraordinary profits through climate heating emissions, while ordinary citizens from Vienna to Warsaw and across the EU are expected to pick up the bill for the damages. Greenpeace calls on Europe’s leaders to stand with their people and not with the oil and gas lobby and force climate polluters to pay for these historic damages.” 

The World Weather Attribution study warns that floods, in which 24 people lost their lives, will become more destructive with further fossil fuel warming and highlights the accelerating costs of climate change after the European Union pledged €10 billion for flood repairs. 

Costs resulting from these floods – from damages to public infrastructure, to loss of working days, destroyed homes, appliances and cars – may impact national budgets and medium-term inflation. Austria’s insurance companies estimate that damages might hit €1 billion. Poland’s government already pledged immediate aid that is “free and non-repayable” of 2 billion zloty (€468 million) for families and home renovations. Romania’s government already allocated 100 million RON (€20 million) to affected households, where poorer communities are largely uninsured. Current estimates of economic impacts may rise significantly. 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Reka Hunyadi, Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe, Regional Head of Communications reka.hunyadi@greenpeace.org

Tal Harris, Greenpeace International, Global Media Lead – Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign, tharris@greenpeace.org 

Greenpeace International Press Desk: pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org, +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)