Haiti after Hurricane Matthew.
Image - Reuters
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and droughts, create a staggering 26 million new people living in poverty each year . This was revealed by the World Bank during the climate conference (COP22).
In total, these phenomena cause losses of more than half a trillion dollars annually when including the impact on the well-being of people who lack sufficient economic resources because they have lost everything or almost everything. This figure represents a 60% increase over the UN's previous estimates of the impact of disasters, which were on the order of 300.000 billion dollars.
When the impact of hurricanes, earthquakes, or droughts is tallied, the poorest also suffer the most: they lose 11% of their material possessions, but 47% of their well-being . Hurricane Matthew, which struck Haiti and the United States, is a prime example. In the US, material losses amounted to approximately $7.000 billion, while in Haiti, they reached $2.000 billion. If you would like to learn more about these phenomena, you can consult the article on the most devastating natural disasters or read about the natural disasters that most affect the world.
If only material losses are counted, the wealthiest countries will always come out ahead, as the World Bank has warned. However, if the impact on the well-being of people with fewer resources is taken into account, aid programs and funding can be adjusted to better assist those most in need , thus preventing further deaths from natural disasters. Furthermore, analyzing the impact of disasters in previous years can help anticipate future crises.
Droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters will continue to occur and may become more dangerous as a result of climate change . Therefore, we must adapt as best we can and help those who lack the necessary resources to protect themselves. To better understand this phenomenon, you can read about natural hurricane protection and the impact of climate change on countries like Germany.
The situation is more complicated today, as the new US president, Donald Trump, is skeptical of climate change and is prepared to withdraw his country from the Paris Agreement. If he does so, according to research by Lux Research , his energy policies could lead to an increase in CO2 emissions of 3.400 billion tons over the next eight years, compared to Obama's commitment to reduce emissions by 30%.
We will see what happens.
