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Indur Goklany: Global Death Toll From Extreme Weather Events Declining
A Primer on the Global Death Toll from Extreme Weather Events — Context and Long Term (1900–2008) Trends
Background
Based on 2000–08 data, extreme weather events are responsible for about 0.05% of all global deaths (31,700 deaths vs. 58.8 million, annually). That is, despite the media attention to such events, extreme weather events have a minor impact on global public health.
Long term (1900–2008) data show that average annual deaths and death rates from all such events declined by 93% and 98%, respectively, since cresting in the 1920s (Figure 1). These declines occurred despite a vast increase in the populations at risk and more complete coverage of extreme weather events (Figure 2).
Read the entire Global Warming Policy Foundation article here.