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15 January 2026|The Hindu
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Environment & EcologyEnvironment & EcologyEnvironment & EcologyNEWS

Global Disaster Losses Drop in 2025, Climate Change Still Alarming

Global disaster losses decreased in 2025, but climate change remains a significant concern.

Background Context

The history of disaster risk assessment and management is intertwined with advancements in science, technology, and societal understanding of natural hazards. Early efforts focused on documenting and responding to disasters, often attributing them to divine forces. The 20th century saw the rise of scientific approaches, with the development of seismology, meteorology, and hydrology enabling better prediction and monitoring. The establishment of organizations like the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) marked a shift towards international cooperation and standardized frameworks for disaster management. The Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015) and the subsequent Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) have been pivotal in guiding global efforts to reduce disaster losses and build resilience.

Global natural disaster losses sharply decreased to $224 billion in 2025, according to Munich Re. This is nearly 40% lower than the previous year, partially due to the absence of hurricanes striking the U.S. mainland. Despite the decrease, the report highlights an "alarming" trend of extreme weather events influenced by climate change. The costliest disaster was the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, causing $53 billion in total losses, with $40 billion insured. A devastating earthquake in Myanmar in March 2025 caused $12 billion in losses. Insured losses for 2025 totaled $108 billion. Around 17,200 lives were lost worldwide due to natural disasters, higher than the 11,000 in 2024 but below the 10-year average. The Asia-Pacific region experienced losses of approximately $73 billion, with only $9 billion insured.

Key Facts

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Global disaster losses 2025: $224 billion

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Losses down: 40% from previous year

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Costliest disaster: Los Angeles wildfires ($53B)

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Insured losses 2025: $108 billion

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Lives lost: 17,200 worldwide

Latest Developments

Recent years have witnessed a growing emphasis on climate change adaptation and resilience-building in disaster risk management. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have prompted governments and organizations to invest in early warning systems, infrastructure improvements, and community-based disaster preparedness programs. The use of technology, such as satellite imagery, remote sensing, and data analytics, has also become increasingly important in monitoring and predicting disasters. Furthermore, there is a growing recognition of the need to integrate disaster risk reduction into development planning and investment decisions to ensure sustainable and resilient development. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the interconnectedness of health risks and disaster risks, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to risk management.

3 Key Concepts to Understand

This article covers important concepts like Climate Change, Natural Disasters and 1 more. Understanding these will help you answer exam questions better.

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