• Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Climate Change Dispatch
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Climate Change Dispatch
No Result
View All Result

CNN’s Climate Con: How Real Estate And Urban Growth, Not Storms, Jack Up Insurance Rates

CNN blames climate change for insurance hikes but ignores development and rising property values.

by Anthony Watts
May 21, 2025, 9:27 AM
in Extreme Weather, Media, Money & Finance, News and Opinion, Science
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
0

new orleans flooded
In a recent article, titled “Why climate risk could affect your credit score for buying a home,” CNN’s Andrew Freedman describes a new report by FirstStreet that claims to show how “climate risk” could impact credit scores and mortgage lending due to an alleged increase in the frequency and severity of weather-driven mortgage foreclosures. [emphasis, links added]

This narrative is highly misleading, if not outright false.

The claim that climate risk is a new and emerging driver of credit risk ignores fundamental climatic and economic realities – namely, extreme weather has not become more common or severe.

In addition, the surge in insurance claims in coastal areas is driven by rising population density, development, and escalating property values, not climate change.

CNN and FirstStreet present the concept of “climate risk” as a quantifiable, standalone factor that can be measured and projected much like credit scores or debt-to-income ratios.

However, “climate risk” is a nebulous term, and one that is not scientifically validated or even clearly defined. It conflates weather events with long-term climate trends.

Weather is immediate, measurable, and historically recorded – hurricanes, floods, tornadoes.

Climate, on the other hand, is a statistical average of these events over 30 years or more. The term “climate risk” is a misleading invention designed to imply that weather events are becoming more severe or frequent, despite a lack of supporting data.

The data on the severe weather events that cause the most damage do not support FirstStreet’s or CNN’s claims of rising climate change-driven costs.

Hurricane Frequency and Intensity:

  • NOAA’s historical hurricane data demonstrate no significant increase in the frequency or intensity of hurricanes over the past several decades. The NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Database (HURDAT) provides comprehensive data showing that year-to-year variability is typical, but as demonstrated by Climate at a Glance in Figure 1 using that data, there is no long-term trend of increasing storm severity.
Figure 1. This figure shows that global hurricane and tropical cyclone activity is not increasing. Even with the slight uptick in the number of tropical storms in 2021, it is still below the peak recorded in 1971. Source: Ryan N. Maue, “Global Tropical Cyclone Activity,” Climate Atlas
  • NOAA’s State of the Climate: Hurricanes and Tropical Storms reports further confirm that there has been no statistically relevant upward trend for the number of major hurricanes (Category 3 and above).

Flood Frequency and Severity:

  • According to NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, flooding events have not increased in frequency when adjusted for population and property value growth. The primary driver of increasing flood-related insurance claims is the expansion of high-value properties developed or expanded in historically flood-prone areas.
  • Detailed storm and flood event data from NOAA’s Storm Events Database clearly show that the apparent rise in flood-related damages is largely due to increased asset concentration in vulnerable coastal zones.

Tornado Frequency and Intensity:

  • As seen in Figure 2 below, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) data demonstrate a declining trend in the frequency and intensity of strong tornadoes (EF-3 and above) over recent decades. The slight uptick in reports of weaker tornadoes is primarily due to improved detection technologies, not an actual increase in tornado frequency.
Figure 2. This figure shows that the frequency of strong to violent tornadoes (tornadoes registering EF3 or stronger) has been declining since the early 1970s. Sources: Graph by Anthony Watts and David Burton using official NOAA/Storm Prediction Center data.

The increase in the total number of reported weather-related insurance claims in NOAA’s Storm Events Database is directly attributable to the increase in and concentration of more people and higher-value properties in disaster-prone areas like Florida, Texas, and California, not to an increase in the number or intensity of weather events.

When adjusted for inflation and population growth, the supposed rise in climate-driven insurance losses vanishes.

Why would FirstStreet inaccurately describe weather-driven losses compounded by economic development as losses due to climate risk? The answer lies in its target audience: financial institutions, mortgage lenders, and insurance firms pushing ESG criteria and seeking justification for higher premiums and stricter lending criteria.

FirstStreet’s report titled “Climate, the Sixth ‘C’ of Credit,” frames climate-driven credit risk as an emerging financial threat, projecting that mortgage lenders could face up to $1.2 billion in annual losses by 2025, rising to $5.4 billion by 2035 due to extreme weather events.

But this projection relies on speculative modeling of the future rather than hard data reflecting actual trends.

It fails to account for the fact that insurance claims are naturally higher in areas experiencing significant population growth and real estate inflation, particularly in coastal states where waterfront properties are among the most expensive and sought-after in the country.

FirstStreet’s report even admits that foreclosure rates are highest in areas with rapidly appreciating property values and high population density, particularly in coastal areas where new developments have expanded into historically flood-prone zones.

Climate change has nothing to do with these losses and foreclosures.

The report cites Hurricane Sandy (2012) as a prime example of “hidden credit losses” linked to climate impacts, claiming that lenders underestimated loan defaults by over $68 million due to flooding in areas outside FEMA flood zones.

Yet, it neglects to mention that Sandy struck at a time when property values in coastal New Jersey and New York were surging. Thus, the real estate bubble, not the hurricane, was the main driver of foreclosure losses, so no climate risk signal here.

FirstStreet’s report is less an actual risk assessment tied to long-term climate trends and more of a marketing tool, crafted to promote the proprietary “climate risk” data products it developed and hopes to sell to financial institutions.

By creating a new “C” of credit – “Climate” – the company is positioning itself as the indispensable analyst and broker for the financial sector’s ongoing monetization of climate alarmism.

Why does CNN’s Freedman uncritically promote FirstStreet’s questionable narrative? Perhaps, because alarmist headlines drive clicks, and sensational claims about “climate risk” are more compelling than the mundane truth that coastal real estate is overpriced and overbuilt.

How Miami changed from a barren landscape to a thriving city.
Wrongly scapegoating non-existent “climate risk” allows adjusters, insurers, and lenders to justify higher premiums, interest rates, and stricter credit standards while diverting attention from the actual causes of rising mortgage costs, insurance rates, and claims.

And, by failing to scrutinize FirstStreet’s “Climate the Sixth C of Credit” report, Freedman and CNN are acting more like press agents for the climate-industrial complex than journalists discovering and presenting the truth.

Ill-defined “climate risks” are not the real threats in this story. Rather, the real threat is the financialization of fear and the desire to virtue-signal while profiting handsomely on climate change using speculative climate models to justify predatory lending and insurance practices.

Read more at Climate Realism

  • Truth
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Gettr
  • Threads
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Mastodon
  • Buffer
  • Telegram
  • Email
  • Copy Link
  • Share Using More Networks…

Popular Posts

News

Scientific Bombshell Undermines The Climate Doom Narrative

Oct 23, 2024
Electric Vehicles (EVs)

The ‘Green’ Scam Of The Century: How ‘Renewables’ Increase Fossil Fuel Demands

Oct 23, 2024
News and Opinion

Antarctica Is Colder, Icier Today Than At Any Time In 5,000 Years

Apr 15, 2024

Comments are welcome! Those that add no discussion value may be removed.Cancel reply

Stay Connected On Social Media

gab-logo

Donate Today

Beating back the alarmist narrative takes time and money. Please donate today to help!

Recent Posts

  • Wind farm constructionIn The Name Of ‘Green’ Energy, Wind Farms Are Devastating Natural Habitats
    Oct 6, 2025
    Wind farms touted as green energy are triggering soil erosion, insect collapse, and biodiversity loss, raising doubts about their true environmental cost. […]
  • Pope Leo ice blessingPope Leo Joins Climate Cultists In Bizarre Ice-Blessing Ritual, Betrays Church’s Mission
    Oct 6, 2025
    Pope Leo joined climate cultists in a strange ice-blessing ceremony, sparking backlash from Christians and raising questions about Catholic priorities. […]
  • Abigail SpanbergerReport: Spanberger Winning Virginia Governor’s Race Would Add $500M a Year to Electricity Bills
    Oct 6, 2025
    Abigail Spanberger’s plan to rejoin the RGGI could add $500M a year to Virginia electricity bills, while Earle-Sears opposes any carbon tax. […]
  • Wall Street financial districtUN-Backed Net-Zero Banking Alliance Shutters, Dealing Blow To ESG Activists
    Oct 6, 2025
    The Net-Zero Banking Alliance has shut down as banks exit, sparking ESG activist backlash over fossil fuel projects and climate goals. […]
  • Massive Amazon deforestation for COP30 roadCOP30’s Carbon Circus: Elites Show Everything That’s Wrong With Climate Alarmism
    Oct 6, 2025
    Skyrocketing costs, private jets, and rainforest destruction expose the hypocrisy surrounding this year’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil. […]
  • oil rig drillAmerica’s Energy Boom Exposes The Folly Of Britain’s Net Zero Disaster
    Oct 3, 2025
    America’s energy boom and policy flexibility are widening the economic gap with Britain, where high prices and net zero goals are stalling growth. […]
  • Arctic sunsetNew Study Shows Arctic Sea Ice Decline Slowing, Driven More by Natural Variability Than Emissions
    Oct 3, 2025
    New study shows Arctic sea ice decline has slowed since 2012, driven more by natural variability than greenhouse gas emissions. […]
  • Attorney General Rob BontaNewsom Backs Off Climate Fight As AG Bonta Doubles Down On Suing Energy Firms
    Oct 3, 2025
    Two years after launching a high-profile climate lawsuit, Newsom is backing off while AG Rob Bonta doubles down on lawfare against major energy firms. […]
  • Farm irrigationMeteorologist Debunks Reuters’ Claim That Climate Change Threatens Europe’s Resources
    Oct 2, 2025
    Data show Europe’s droughts, weather, and biodiversity issues stem from mismanagement, not climate change, despite alarmist media claims. […]
  • Russ VoughtTrump Nixes $8B In ‘Green New Scam Funding’ In NYC, Blue States
    Oct 2, 2025
    Trump DOE halted billions in green energy projects citing poor economics, DEI hiring, and weak energy impact, sparking backlash in blue states. […]

Get Instant Email Notifications

Subscribe to receive a digest of daily stories, or get emailed once they're published. Check your Junk/Spam folder for a verification email.

Submit a tip

Please enter your email, so we know you're human.

Books You May Like

very convenient warming

exposing great lie

Have a suggestion? Let us know! We swap out books based on your input. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. See here.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

© Portions copyright Climate Change Dispatch

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Climate Change Dispatch

Share via
  • Facebook
  • Like
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • Tumblr
  • VKontakte
  • Print
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Buffer
  • Love This
  • Weibo
  • Pocket
  • Xing
  • Odnoklassniki
  • WhatsApp
  • Meneame
  • Blogger
  • Amazon
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Gmail
  • AOL
  • Newsvine
  • HackerNews
  • Evernote
  • MySpace
  • Mail.ru
  • Viadeo
  • Line
  • Flipboard
  • Comments
  • SMS
  • Viber
  • Telegram
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Kakao
  • LiveJournal
  • Yammer
  • Edgar
  • Fintel
  • Mix
  • Instapaper
  • Copy Link
  • Truth
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Gettr
  • Baidu
  • Mastodon
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
Share via
  • Digg
  • Tumblr
  • VKontakte
  • Print
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Buffer
  • Love This
  • Weibo
  • Pocket
  • Xing
  • Odnoklassniki
  • WhatsApp
  • Meneame
  • Blogger
  • Amazon
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Gmail
  • AOL
  • Newsvine
  • HackerNews
  • Evernote
  • MySpace
  • Mail.ru
  • Viadeo
  • Line
  • Flipboard
  • Comments
  • SMS
  • Viber
  • Telegram
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Kakao
  • LiveJournal
  • Yammer
  • Edgar
  • Fintel
  • Mix
  • Instapaper
  • Copy Link
  • Truth
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Gettr
  • Baidu
  • Mastodon
  • Threads
  • Bluesky