With the fate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) still unclear, experts indicate that last year marked one of the most devastating years for natural disasters across the United States.
As per a recent Report by the International Institute for Environmental Development (IIED) and CNN, the previous year experienced significant levels of major disaster declarations related to “weather and natural disasters”. This nearly doubled the typical yearly average of 55 declarations over the past three decades, reaching 90 declarations.
Major disaster declarations, which the president can declare, encompass a range of “natural events” including hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms, and tsunamis.
The analysis reviewed data from 30 years of statewide FEMA disaster declarations spanning from 1994 to 2024, as noted by the researchers.
“Annually, millions of people face the consequences of climate-induced disasters, resulting in fatalities and severe economic hardship,” stated Sejal Patel, a senior climate finance researcher at IIED, on the organization’s webpage. Regarding the analysis.
“Political figures must confront the seriousness of this issue by devising comprehensive strategies to lower emissions that contribute to climate change, while also providing support to families and communities impacted by disasters driven by climate,” Patel remarked.
Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem mentioned on Monday that there are plans to dismantle FEMA as a federal entity during a status update at the Cabinet meeting.
“We will abolish FEMA,” Noem stated.
In January, President Trump announced intentions to “sign an executive order to initiate a fundamental reform of FEMA or possibly eliminate it altogether.”
“Honestly, I do not believe FEMA is effective,” the president expressed.
The White House’s latest executive order did not explicitly aim to completely eradicate the agency but rather prompted a review of existing disaster response protocols.
