Our Changing Weather

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Heat, Disease & Extreme Events

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Natural disasters have increased fivefold over the last 50 years due to a warming planet. Although the death toll from disasters has decreased thanks to early warning systems and improved disaster preparedness, the economic losses from these disasters have increased sevenfold. Natural disasters cost $203 billion worldwide in 2023. Global damage costs from natural disasters, 1980 to 2024 (ourworldindata.org)

In 2023, on any given day, nearly one third of the global ocean was in a marine heatwave. By the end of 2023, over 90% of the ocean experienced heatwave temperatures at least once. Warming oceans are more acidic, expand in volume, melt icebergs and kill marine life. They also amplify the frequency and severity of tropical storms.

Per storm, tropical cyclones are the costliest of natural disasters ($20.3 billion per event, World Meteorological Organization). Severe storms have an average cost of $2.3 billion per event, but are the most frequent disaster type, causing the most damage and the largest economic losses around the world.

A heating planet increases water vapor in the atmosphere which magnifies rainfall and flooding.

Flooding events have an average cost of $4.7 billion per event. Heatwaves and droughts (average cost $10 billion per event), floods, wildfires ($6.2 billion per) and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones affected millions of people in 2023.

There will be at least 250,000 additional deaths per year from heat stress, malnutrition, dengue, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases between 2030 and 2050 (World Health Organization).

Flooding increases sewage overflow which brings rodent- and water-borne illnesses. Contact between wildlife and humans is increasing as our towns and cities push further into natural habitats, increasing spillover of animal viruses to humans. Animals that transmit illness include rabbits, deer, bats, rodents.

A warming climate is spreading disease northward with the migration of insects carrying illnesses to new areas. The Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative is advocating for more research, medicines and vaccines for the increasing climate-sensitive diseases.

In Canada, our milder, shorter winters and longer summers create circumstances that can increase existing diseases like Rabies, West Nile Virus, and Lyme Disease, but also may introduce to warming southern areas the tropical diseases like Zika, Dengue, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever. Extreme weather events (prolonged droughts but also more heat and humidity) make Canada a welcome environment for mosquitoes carrying exotic disease. Tick-borne illnesses like babesiosis and Powassan virus are reported more frequently in recent years.

Use these informative links to help identify and protect from insects that may be carrying disease, to safeguard your home from risky weather events, and to stay current with vaccinations whether you are traveling locally or abroad.

Preparing for a Changing Climate

Weather Alerts & Apps

Diseases

Vaccinations