In previous articles, I’ve delved into the discourse surrounding climate-related natural disasters and their purported increase due to rising greenhouse gas emissions. [emphasis, links added]
Today, I aim to update this analysis with the most recent data from 2024, a year that mainstream media (MSM) has widely proclaimed as the hottest on record.
For instance, The Guardian reported that two-thirds of the Earth’s surface experienced record-breaking heat in 2024, attributing this to human-induced climate change.
Despite these alarming headlines, an examination of the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) reveals a different narrative.
The data indicates that since 2000 there has been no significant increase in climate-related natural disasters such as extreme weather events, wildfires, droughts, and floods.
This finding challenges the prevalent assertion that higher CO2 emissions and rising global temperatures directly correlate with an uptick in such disasters.
Analyzing the EM-DAT Data:
EM-DAT, maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), offers a comprehensive global record of natural and technological disasters.
Focusing on climate-related events, specifically floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, storms, and wildfires, I observed that from 2000 to 2022, the frequency of these events remained relatively stable.
Contrary to popular belief, certain years in the early 2000s even recorded higher counts than more recent years.
This finding is particularly intriguing given that the 21st century has seen unprecedented CO2 emissions and supposedly some of the hottest years on record.
If the widely accepted narrative held true, we would expect a corresponding increase in climate-related natural disasters.
The absence of such a trend in the EM-DAT data suggests that the relationship between GHG emissions, rising global temperatures, and [disaster frequency] is more complex than often portrayed. …snip…
Similarly, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated…
These assertions contribute to a pervasive belief that climate-related disasters are on the rise, a narrative that is not substantiated by the EM-DAT data.
Irrational Fear is written by climatologist Dr. Matthew Wielicki and is reader-supported. If you value what you have read here, please consider subscribing and supporting the work that goes into it.
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