Latest UN report indicate that the extreme weather events in the last 50 years is increased five-fold, while the number of death-cases caused is on the down side, no matter more then 2 mil. people have lost their lives. The report also states that losses on global level in connection to floods and heat waves value $3640 bln.

UN Weather & Climate agency and WMO officials, in Geneva HQ had presented the Atlas report. The report shows that weather related catastrophes occurred once-a-day in the last 5 years, causing 115 deaths and $202 mln. in losses/day. 

The report suggest increased trend  for the number of catastrophes have increased 5-fold as compared to 1970’s because extreme weather conditions had become more frequent due to global warming. 

The losses caused by natural disasters have increased from $175,4 bln. in the 1970’s to $1.380 bln. in 2010, when storms “Haarvey”, “Maria” and “Irma” hit the USA.

According to the study, largest number of deaths are reported in developing countries.

Mami Mizutori, special UN envoy for reducing the risk of catastrophes find the report “quite alarming” and emphasizes that July was warmest month in history, with appearances of heat waves and floods worldwide. 

The study indicates that bad weather increased frequencies and intensity influence over larger number of people. 

Mizutori stated that 31 mln. people were evacuated due to natural disasters, which is more than refuges number from the conflict, and that 26 mln. people/year in average go in poverty   due to extreme weather conditions, and that the pandemic is worsening the problem.

“We live in a world that we consider dangerous in many ways, which says that we really need to invest more in reducing and preventing risk from disasters”, says Mizotori.

No matter natural disasters become more expensive and more frequent, the number of victims has reduced from 50.000 in the 1970’s, to approximately 18.000 in 2010, indicating that good planning pays its dividends.

UN’s secretary general to the WMO, Petteri Taalas says that the good news in the report is that during monitoring period, disaster related death cases had decreased by a third, due to the early warning and improved management system.

More then 91% of the death cases occur in developing countries, because there is no early warning and disaster management system.

WMO representatives stated that economic losses related to these catastrophes will increase, unless significant mitigation of climate change happens.

If true measures are imposed, the tendency can seize within next 40 years, says Taalas.

UN Agency on meteorology and weather had invited G-20 to fulfill their promise for reducing GHG emissions.