Natural Disasters

Economic losses from natural disasters were greater in the 1990s than in the previous four decades combined. Poor development choices, from deforestation and river engineering to poor siting of cities and buildings, have made humanity more vulnerable to disaster than ever. Over one third of the world's people live near a coast, for example, and nearly half live in cities, concentrating humanity in some of the riskiest areas. Vulnerability to disasters will likely grow as severe storms and rising sea levels associated with climate change increasingly pound coastal areas. Worldwatch research on disasters has focused on the policies and practices that can eliminate hazards stemming from human activities that cause natural calamities or worsen their effects.