United Nations: Humanity is self-destructing, and by 2030, 560 disasters will occur annually

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction reported in a new report that between 350 and 500 medium to large-scale disasters occurred globally over the past two decades annually, adding that by 2030 we will face 560 disasters around the world every year, an average of 1.5 disasters per day.

The United Nations warned Tuesday that humanity suffers from a "misconception of risk" that is exacerbating the activities and behaviors that are causing climate change and a growing number of disasters around the world.

In a new report, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction finds that between 350 and 500 medium to large-scale disasters have occurred worldwide annually over the past two decades.

This is five times more than the average over the previous three decades, he said.

With climate change, catastrophic events from droughts, extreme temperatures and devastating floods are expected to occur more frequently in the future.

The report estimated that by 2030 we will face 560 disasters around the world each year, an average of 1.5 disasters per day.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction added in a statement that the sharp rise in the number of disasters globally could be attributed to "a misperception of risk based on optimism, downplaying and a sense of invulnerability."

He estimated that this leads to policy, financing and development decisions that exacerbate vulnerabilities and put people at risk.

For her part, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, warned in the statement that ignoring the great dangers we face "puts humanity in a spiral of self-destruction."

Ignoring the risks has come at a heavy price, with the report finding that disasters around the world have cost nearly $170 billion annually over the past decade.

But most disasters happen in low-income countries, which lose an average of 1% of their GDP to disasters annually, compared to just 0.1% to 0.2% in the richest countries.

The report pointed out that the Asia and Pacific regions suffer the largest economic losses.

As the number of disasters increases, so will the costs.

The report estimated that another 37.6 million people will live in extreme poverty by 2030 due to the effects of climate change and disasters.

Most of the losses related to catastrophes are not covered by insurance companies. Since 1980, only about 40% of losses have been covered globally, but the proportion declines in developing countries to less than 10%.

"Disasters can be prevented, but only if countries invest time and resources to understand and reduce their risks," the head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, stressed in the statement.

But she cautioned that "by willfully ignoring risks and not taking them into account in decision-making, the world is effectively financing its own destruction."