Is Global Warming Causing More Natural Disasters?

• Author: Bryan Miller
• Posted: 2024-06-07

Are more natural disasters happening because of global warming? The answer depends on what you define by the disaster and how much money you're willing to invest in mitigation efforts. For example, hurricanes are powered by warm, deep water in the Caribbean and the Atlantic, so scientists believe global warming is increasing the frequency of hurricanes. However, in 2017, we already experienced 16 $1-billion natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Houston and killed dozens of people. If global warming is increasing the frequency of such natural disasters, then yes, it is definitely happening.

The correlation between climate change and natural disasters has long been disputed, but scientists have recently made breakthroughs in their understanding of climate change's role in extreme events. In the case of the 2010 Russian heat wave, which killed more than 50,000 people, climate change increased the risk of a heat wave. This study was a major early victory for attribution research because scientists were now able to pinpoint the differences between a natural disaster and a global warming disaster.

Similarly, recent winters in the northern hemisphere have been warmer than they have ever been. In fact, the temperatures in Moscow were so high in January and February that they were forced to import fake snow for the holidays. In the same month, fire season began months ahead of schedule in California, and Siberia's permafrost is melting, fueling devastating fires. In addition, temperatures in Baghdad hit records of 125 degrees Fahrenheit in July and heat waves hit Hong Kong and Phoenix.