Natural Disasters Don’t Exist
There’s nothing natural about what is happening to our planet.
As the climate crisis heightens and media messaging surrounding the topic becomes increasingly prevalent, it seems that natural disasters are appearing more than ever before in news cycles. Perhaps this is because climate advocacy and public concern for the planet have resulted in an increase in media coverage, or perhaps it is merely because catastrophic events within nature are occurring at frequencies never before seen. For example, CBS News reports that the year 2020 has resulted in a record-breaking hurricane season with 30 tropical storms, which breaks the previous record of 28 storms that was set in 2005.
The phrase “natural disaster” refers to not only hurricanes but other events such as avalanches, tsunamis, tornadoes, and earthquakes — events that place humankind at the mercy of Mother Nature and oftentimes result in catastrophic damage and loss of life. Now there is no denying that these events are events of nature. The issue arises when it is assumed that an event of nature is something natural.
The Word “Natural”
The word “natural”, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, means “existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind”.
As the planet warms and the effects of climate change come into play, it is difficult to claim that humankind has no role in creating natural disasters. Humans directly contribute to the warming of the planet through excessive production of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. As a result of the planet warming, NASA reveals that more natural disasters occur, such as frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought and an increase in the number, duration, and intensity of tropical storms. In 2018, the most destructive California wildfire of all time resulted in 85 deaths and was labeled as “the world’s costliest single natural disaster” by National Geographic. In this example, wildfire risk rises with climate change to the point where one cannot effectively argue that these wildfires are entirely a result of nature. Humankind is contributing to its own demise as a key player in natural catastrophic events.
The word “natural” is incorrect because of what it implies, but it is damaging in other ways. Labelling disasters as “natural” alleviates the burden placed on those who are responsible for managing disaster risks. This includes politicians, lawmakers, international organizations, and large corporations. These parties play a massive role in diminishing risks that contribute to the climate crisis, yet by referring to disasters as “natural” it reiterates the false ideology that these disasters are out of human control. This results in a decreased sense of urgency and a lack of action on behalf of the responsible parties discussed. Weak environmental policies, lack of regulation and mitigation, and poor urban planning are a direct result of this.
The public can never completely understand the cause of so-called natural disasters if the “natural” aspect is constantly being reinforced. Until then, holding politicians and organizations accountable is a difficult task.
The Word “Disaster”
The word “disaster” can be analyzed by comparing it to the word “hazard”. A disaster is an event that actually harms and disrupts the operations of society, whereas a hazard is a dangerous situation or event that carries a threat to humans. A hazard becomes a disaster once it affects humans. For example, if a hazard occurs in an unpopulated area it will remain a hazard.
From this example one can argue that a hazard becomes a disaster when it occurs in a populated area, but this thinking is incorrect. A disaster will only occur when people and cities are vulnerable to it. Lack of resources and knowledge, poor infrastructure, and marginalization make humankind vulnerable and hence turn a hazard into a disaster; it is not just the population density of the area affected that turns a hazard into a disaster. An earthquake can occur in a large city, but if the city is engineered properly such that no damage is done and no lives are lost, the earthquake cannot be considered a disaster.
Hazards only become disasters because of the way societies are developed and constructed, and there is nothing remotely “natural” about that. This is why natural disasters don’t exist — only natural hazards do.
Why Does this Matter?
Using the phrase “natural disaster” is creating a misunderstanding in the causes of events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes. Whether realized or not, it removes a certain extent of the blame on parties that directly contribute to these events. We must not let those responsible for responding to and preventing climate change hide behind the idea that natural disasters are uncontrollable.
While there are limited terms that can be used to replace the phrase “natural disaster”, understanding the implications of pairing these two simple words together is the first step towards a future of increased understanding.
