The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in April 2010, resulted in a massive ash plume that disrupted air travel across Europe for several days. The volcanic ash cloud caused the cancellation of thousands of flights, stranding millions of travellers and causing significant economic losses for the aviation industry.

In July 2002, Germany and the Czech Republic experienced devastating floods because of heavy rainfall. The floods caused widespread destruction, submerged entire communities, and claimed the lives of hundreds of people while causing extensive damage to infrastructure and displacing thousands of residents.

In May 2010, the Gulf of Mexico witnessed one of the largest and most catastrophic oil spills in history. The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion resulted in millions of barrels of crude oil being released into the ocean, causing immense environmental damage, devastating marine life, and affecting the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Tropical Cyclone Bingiza hit the southeastern coast of Madagascar in February 2011, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. The powerful cyclone caused widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure, leading to significant humanitarian and economic impacts in the affected areas.

In October 2007, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that ravaged large portions of the state. Fuelled by strong winds and dry conditions, these wildfires consumed 135,000 hectares of land, destroyed 1200 homes, and claimed several lives, prompting large-scale evacuations and extensive firefighting efforts.