Climate change and “unnatural” disasters
Our news feeds these past months have been flooded with stories of extreme weather events worldwide. At the end of October, torrential rain caused flash floods in Valencia, Spain, sweeping away cars and bridges, and leaving dozens dead. In the US, hurricanes Helene and Milton swept across several Southern states, leaving behind scenes of devastation and damage. Wildfires roared across the Brazilian Amazon and other parts of South America as they suffered from record drought. The Philippines were hit by five major storms in three weeks, with more than 24,000 people evacuated from their homes.
At an almost unprecedented intensity and frequency, many of us have started to connect the dots between extreme weather events and climate change. At the same time, developing countries have been threatened with worsening natural disasters for years, whilst also bearing the brunt of the climate crisis in the form of pollution and economic decline. The recent disasters in the US and Europe send a clear message about our future in the face of growing climate risk: nobody is exempt.
Photographer Espen Bierud June , 2019 , via www.unsplash.com
Can we still call these extreme weather events “natural” disasters?
Whilst natural disasters caused by extreme weather are not new occurrences, their increased frequencies and devastating impact may not be so “natural”. For years, scientists have warned about a future where extreme weather events become more intense due to global heating. On the one hand, higher temperatures increase the likelihood of droughts, intensifying heatwaves and wildfires. On the other hand, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, forming denser clouds capable of developing powerful storms and heavier precipitation, leading to floods and other disasters. Climate attribution studies have found that at least 550 extreme weather events were made significantly more likely by global heating, reinforcing the undeniable role of climate change in these “unnatural” disasters.
Another argument against calling these disasters “natural” is that whilst these natural hazards are worsened by climate change, we can’t escape responsibility for their disastrous consequences. We can’t blame the hazards for our level of exposure and vulnerability. We have a capacity to act on factors contributing to the issue, which extend to our emission of greenhouse gases, a lack of effective mitigation systems, and socio-economic inequality.
The cost of inaction & who do we hold to account?
Undoubtedly, recent disasters have brought to the foreground the cost of inaction in the face of the climate crisis. Fighting climate change is expensive, and we often hear big numbers thrown around by politicians and organisations to fund renewable energy and climate initiatives. However, we must consider these expenditures as necessary, since not taking enough action will cost us far more. Experts have warned that the long-term economic cost of the climate crisis could be six times higher than previously estimated, or a GDP 37% lower than it would without the effects of global heating. The Biden administration and experts have estimated that the recent hurricane Milton has caused $50bn in damage. Beyond the estimated numbers, the real damage caused by these events, including to infrastructures, human lives, ecosystems and wildlife, is catastrophic.
The cost debate is central to the intersectional environmentalism approach. Currently, marginalised communities and developing nations are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, despite contributing little to causing it. At COP27 in Egypt, a loss-and-damage fund was established to provide financial support to help vulnerable nations recover from and cope with the consequences of the climate crisis. This fund is a critical initiative that prioritizes a climate justice approach, holding wealthy nations and major oil companies accountable, and ensuring they contribute financially to reparative actions. It’s a first step in the right direction, although there's still a long way ahead.
Photographer Gary Saldana , 2017 , via www.unsplash.com
Where do we go now: climate adaptation & mitigation
It is important to note that climate change should not be used to deflect responsibility for these disasters. Governments must accept responsibility for climate adaptation alongside tackling emissions, including building safer infrastructures, better alert systems for high-risk areas and rapid emergency responses. As the climate crisis intensifies, posing a growing risk to our lives, we must take matters into our own hands and ensure everyone, everywhere, is able to stay resilient to these consequences.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
This is discussed further in:
Niranjan, A. (2024) 'Spain’s deadly floods and droughts are two faces of the climate crisis coin,' The Guardian, 30 October. Click here
Harris, B., Tauschinski, J. and Pooler, M. (2024) 'Wildfires sweep Amazon as Brazil suffers worst drought on record,' Financial Times, 14 September. Click here
Young, J. Y. (2024) ‘Typhoon Usagi slams into the Philipines,’ The New York Times, 14 November. Click here
Stallard, M.P. and E. (2024) How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods.Click here
Crimmins, M. (2022) How Climate Change Impacts Each Type of Natural Disaster | Peril & Promise | PBS. Click here
Carrington, D. (2024a) 'Climate crisis to blame for dozens of ‘impossible’ heatwaves, studies reveal,' The Guardian, 18 November. Click here
Carrington, D. (2024b) 'How do we know that the climate crisis is to blame for extreme weather?' The Guardian, 18 November. Click here
Jacobs, E. (2023) Should we stop using the term ‘Natural disaster’? Click here
UCL. (2023) Economic cost of climate change could be six times higher than previously thought. Click here
Helmore, E. and Betts, A. (2024) 'Biden says Hurricane Milton caused staggering $50bn in estimated damage,' The Guardian, 12 October. Click here
United Nations Environment Programme (no date) What you need to know about the COP27 Loss and Damage Fund. Click here
The Straits Times (2024) 'Spain’s deputy PM Ribera deflects blame over floods to climate change,' 20 November. Click here
Written by Ailin Bogers
Edited by Gianna Hector
