Extreme Events & Geo-Hazards

Worldwide, extreme weather has caused two million deaths and over $4 trillion in costs over the last 50 years, according to the UN. During 2023, weather and climate disasters resulted in $93 billion in losses and 492 deaths in the United States alone, according to NOAA. Historical records show that the number of billion-dollar disasters is on the rise. Despite uncertainty in the projections, most climate models suggest an increase in both frequency and intensity of extreme events under climate change.

Mitigating the consequences of future extreme events will require geo-professionals to take timely actions, including, but not limited to: evaluation of existing earthen structures, design and construction of protective structures in areas where an increased probability of damage is expected, refinement of existing geo-system designs, and development of new climate-adaptive measures and risk assessment tools.