Heavy Weather: how climate destruction harms middle- and lower-income Americans
Scientists and government agencies documented the devastating extreme weather events in 2011 and 2012. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported 14 weather events that caused at least $1 billion in damages each in 2011. By our estimates, from January through October 2012, there were at least seven addi- tional extreme weather events with more than $1 billion in damages each, with total damages from the two years combined topping $126 billion.5 In addition to these events, economists predict that the 2012 drought will cause between $28 billion and $77 billion in damages, potentially bringing the two-year total to $174 billion.6