Experts warn that climate change is speeding up the United States’ record-breaking number of devastated natural disasters, which began in 2023 and hasn’t yet ended.
According to a report released on Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the US experienced 23 different weather-related disasters between January and August 2023 that collectively cost at least $1 billion in damages. These disasters ranged from storms to wildfires.
The previous record of 22 events seen in all of 2020 has already been surpassed by 2023 with roughly four months left in the year, according to NOAA.
According to the NOAA report, more than 250 people died and more than $57.6 billion in damages were incurred as a result of this year’s disasters.
Since the storm’s damage is still being assessed, the report did not mention Hurricane Hilary, which affected parts of California and the Southwest in August.
In a statement, Rachel Cletus of the Union of Concerned Scientists said, “These record-breaking numbers, in a year that is on track to be one of the hottest ever, are sobering and the latest confirmation of a worsening trend in expensive disasters, many of which bear the undeniable fingerprints of climate change.”
The average temperature for the contiguous US was 73.0 degrees, 1.6 degrees above average, making this meteorological summer (June 1 through August 31) the 15th-warmest on record for the United States.
Since 1980, NOAA has kept track of disasters that cost $1 billion or more. The US has experienced 18 billion dollars in disasters annually on average over the past five years.
The US has historically caused climate change because it is the largest emitter in the world.
According to a Carbon Brief analysis, the US has released more than 509Gt of CO2 since 1850, accounting for about 20% of all historical emissions, endangering the nation and the entire planet.
