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The WMO Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate, and Water Extremes (1970 – 2019) is a comprehensive review of mortality and economic losses from weather, water, and climate extremes. The analysis is based on the data obtained from Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) which contains data on disasters associated with several types of natural hazards.
Number of deaths decreased by three-fold
According to the report, from 1970 to 2019, weather, climate, and water hazards accounted for 50% of all disasters, 45% of all reported deaths and 74% of all reported economic losses.
It said that the number of disasters has increased by a factor of five over the past five decades fuelled by climate change, more extreme weather and improved reporting. However, the number of deaths due to these events has decreased by three-fold due to improved early warnings and disaster mangement. Death tolls fell from over 50,000 deaths in the 1970s to less than 20,000 in the 2010s.
“A disaster-related to either a weather, climate or water hazard occurred every day on average over the 50 years – killing 115 people and causing US$ 202 million in losses daily,” it added. It found out that the reported losses in the last decade were seven times the amount reported from 1970–1979.
Drought led to the largest human and economic losses
Amongst the top 10 disasters in the report, the largest human losses were caused by drought in the last 50 years followed by storms, floods, and extreme temperature. In terms of economic losses, the top 10 events include storms and floods.
According to the WMO Atlas, three of the costliest 10 disasters occurred in 2017-Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma which accounted for 35% of the total economic losses.
Although storms had the highest human and economic toll, floods were the most common hazards, it said.
Asia accounts for nearly half of the weather-related deaths globally
Asia reported more than three thousand weather-related disasters from 1970-2019 that accounted for nearly half of weather-related deaths (47%) globally and US$ 1.2 trillion in reported economic damages, according to the report.
The report revealed that most of the disasters in Asia were linked to floods and storms. Storms in the continent resulted in 72% of the lives lost and floods led to the greatest economic losses, it said.
The way ahead
“The number of weather, climate, and water extremes are increasing and will become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world as a result of climate change,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.He said that more lives are being saved due to installation of early warning systems however as the population curve is moving upward, more people will be exposed to disaster risk. Moreover, only half of the 193 members of WMO have multi-hazard early warning systems and there are severe gaps in weather and hydrological observing networks in Africa, some parts of Latin America and in Pacific and Caribbean island states, the report stated.
Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR called for more international cooperation to tackle the problem of displacement due to floods, storms, and droughts. She also recommended greater investment in disaster in risk management to ensure that climate change adaptation is integrated into national and local disaster risk reduction strategies.
“The overlap of the COVID-19 pandemic with many other natural and manmade hazards, especially extreme weather events during the last 18 months demonstrates the need for greater investment in disaster risk reduction and a multi-hazard approach to disaster risk management and early warning systems to reduce risks and strengthen preparedness for multiple disaster scenarios,” she said.
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