The Real Reason Billion-Dollar Disasters Like Hurricane Helene Are Growing More Common

While the number of costly natural disasters has risen in the past 40 years, researchers say this trend is driven by societal factors such as increased development in hazard-prone areas, rather than climate change.

Studies have shown that once economic trends are adjusted for inflation and population growth, the rise in disaster-related costs diminishes. For instance, past hurricanes, if they occurred today, would incur much higher costs due to increased development. No studies have analyzed how global warming contributes to these natural disasters.