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There has been a “staggering increase” in the number of extreme weather events in the past 20 years, driven in large part by rising global temperatures and other climate changes, according to a new United Nations report. From 2000 to 2019, there were 7,348 major natural disasters around the world, killing 1.23 million people and resulting in $ 2.97 trillion in global economic losses.
By comparison, the previous 20-year period, 1980-1999, had 4,212 natural disasters, claiming 1.19 million lives and causing $ 1.63 trillion in economic loss.
Much of this increase, the report notes, can be attributed to climate change. Climate-related disasters increased 83 percent – from 3,656 events during the 1980-1999 period to 6,681 in the past 20 years. Major floods have more than doubled, the number of severe storms has increased by 40 percent, and there have been large increases in droughts, wildfires and heat waves.
“We are deliberately destructive,” Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said in a statement. “That is the only conclusion that can be reached when reviewing the disasters that have occurred in the last twenty years. Disaster management agencies, civil protection departments, fire departments, public health authorities, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and many NGOs are fighting an uphill battle against a growing tide of weather events. extremes. More lives are being saved, but more people are affected by the growing climate emergency. “
The report, “The Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019,” found that Asia experienced the highest number of extreme weather events, with 3,068 over the 20-year period. China had the highest number of all countries, suffering 577 major natural disasters. The United States ranked second, with 467 events, followed by India, 321 events, the Philippines, 304, and Indonesia, with 278 disasters.
The report’s authors said the findings show a critical need to invest in disaster prevention and preparedness.
“Disaster risk is becoming systemic with one event overlapping and influencing another in ways that are testing our resilience to the limit,” Mizutori said. “The odds are against us when we do not act on science and early warnings to invest in prevention, adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction.”
The report’s authors said the findings show a critical need to invest in disaster prevention and preparedness.
“Disaster risk is becoming systemic with one event overlapping and influencing another in ways that are testing our resilience to the limit,” Mizutori said. “The odds are against us when we do not act on the basis of science and early warnings to invest in prevention, adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction.”
