Extreme events frequency increase

Between 2000 and 2019, a staggering 7,348 major natural disasters occurred worldwide, resulting in the loss of 1.23 million lives and causing a staggering $2.97 trillion in global economic damages.

In comparison, the preceding 20-year period from 1980 to 1999 witnessed 4,212 natural disasters, claiming 1.19 million lives and leading to economic losses worth $1.63 trillion.

A substantial portion of this increase can be directly linked to climate change. Climate-related disasters surged by 83 percent, escalating from 3,656 events during the 1980-1999 timeframe to 6,681 events in the last two decades. Major floods more than doubled in frequency, severe storms increased by 40 percent, and droughts, wildfires, and heatwaves also experienced significant surges.

Credit: UN Office For Disaster Risk Reduction