As temperatures soar across the globe to 130-year highs, climate change is being blamed for the rise in catastrophic events.

From floods in central Europe to wildfires in Russia and widespread flooding in Pakistan, losses have reached into the billions in just the first nine months of the year.

Temperatures are also rising, with the 10 warmest years on record falling within the past 12 years.

Munich Re Head of Geo Risks Research Peter Höeppe says the warmer atmosphere and higher sea temperatures are having significant effects.

“It’s as if the weather machine has changed up a gear,” he said. “Unless binding carbon reduction targets stay on the agenda, future generations will bear the consequences.”

Munich Re says this year it has experienced the second-highest significant loss ratio from weather-related catastrophes since 1980.

It has recorded 725 events from January to September this year, with more than 21,000 lives lost – including 1760 in Pakistan.

Natural disasters have accounted for more than $US65 billion ($66.8 billion) in overall costs or insured losses of $US18 billion ($18.5 billion) in the past nine months.

Munich Re says flood-related losses have risen three-fold since 1980 and the number of windstorms has more than doubled.

Professor Höeppe says the only plausible explanation for the rise in weather-related events is climate change.