I found something surprising in a recent article in Scientific American about a report in to natural disasters; most people would assume that climate change, since it is oft stated as mankind's biggest threat, would be top when it comes to losses. But this report sees natural disasters counting for about $185 billion a year by 2100. Climate change is not included but is estimated as an additional $28-$68 billion annually. However this did not include other costs linked to climate change, such as desertification or rising sea levels, which may be substantial.
The costs are expected to increase because the number of people at risk of storms or earthquakes in large cities could double to 1.5 billion by 2050. Simple preventative measures could curb losses from natural disasters if implemented as policy.
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