Heatwaves, floods and wildfires pose rising threat to democracy, report finds

A new report indicates that the climate crisis is increasingly jeopardizing democratic processes worldwide. Over the past two decades, natural disasters linked to climate change have disrupted at least 94 elections and referendums in 52 nations. In 2024 alone, extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and wildfires interfered with 23 elections across 18 different countries. This trend highlights how environmental challenges are becoming significant factors in shaping electoral outcomes, alongside traditional political dynamics.

This matters because the increasing disruption of elections by climate-related events poses a fundamental threat to the stability and integrity of democratic governance globally.