from climaterealism
A November 4 Bloomberg article titled “Extreme rainfall becoming more frequent and deadly” reported on the recent flooding in Valencia, suggesting that climate change is producing more extreme rainfall events now than before. More deadly. This is wrong. The data proves that Bloomberg’s claims don’t stand up to fact-checking, as floods have not become more frequent or severe.
First, it is important to distinguish between weather and climate. While extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall are a natural part of weather patterns, they are often wrongly attributed to climate change without actual evidence. as climate realism It has been repeatedly noted that many advocates link extreme weather events to climate change data and evidence to show cause and effect. In the case of the recent European floods, for example, experts acknowledge that it's difficult to definitively link individual events to long-term climate trends without comprehensive research, but headlines like Bloomberg's often conclude that climate change is the cause.
Furthermore, extreme weather events such as flooding have occurred throughout history, long before the industrial era and the recent rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. Spain in particular, due to its unique geographical and meteorological conditions, has experienced severe flooding over the centuries, known as the “gota fria” weather pattern, also known as “cold drops”. Spain's geographical location makes it susceptible to these well-known local Mediterranean storm patterns. Unfortunately, flooding due to heavy rainfall has been common throughout Valencia's history due to established natural weather patterns. There is no data to support the claim that they are signs of worsening weather due to climate change.
Even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report acknowledges that there is no clear trend of increasing flooding, despite claims otherwise. See Figure 1 below:
The IPCC findings indicate that globally, data do not support a significant increase in the frequency or intensity of rainfall events. As a result, every extreme weather event the media attributes to climate change is based on alarmism rather than reporting based on reliable scientific data.
Furthermore, the increase in losses from flooding caused by heavy rains in recent years can largely be attributed to urban expansion and poor land use planning, especially in flood-prone areas. As cities like Valencia grow, impermeable surfaces continue to expand, leading to increased runoff and a higher risk of flooding when heavy rains occur. Losses from flooding tend to reflect more development and increased human activity in vulnerable areas than a direct consequence of climate-driven increases in rainfall.
In summary, while extreme weather events like the Valencia floods are tragic and require a strong response in terms of preparedness and recovery, there is no conclusive evidence linking this specific event or the alleged increase in such events to Global climate change connects.
Rather than rushing to conclusions, Bloomberg and other media outlets should focus on informing about realistic strategies—such as improved infrastructure, better flood management, and adapting to natural weather variability—as solutions to the flooding problem rather than resorting to baseless claims. Climate scare tactics.
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