Two people embracing and standing at a car looking at a destroyed house.

Climate-fueled disasters surged in 2024 as FEMA faces political threats

The U.S. saw a dramatic rise in climate-related disasters last year, even as federal leaders weigh dismantling the agency tasked with disaster response.

Tara Suter reports for The Hill.


In short:

  • A new analysis found that 2024 saw 90 major disaster declarations in the U.S., nearly double the average of the past 30 years.
  • The data, reviewed by the International Institute for Environment and Development and CNN, shows a rising toll from storms, fires, and other extreme weather events.
  • President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have both signaled plans to weaken or eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the country's main federal disaster response agency.

Key quote:

“Millions of Americans are being affected by climate-driven disasters every year, sometimes with deadly consequences. Others have been left in financial ruin.”

— Sejal Patel, senior climate finance researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development

Why this matters:

As natural disasters grow more frequent and severe, FEMA is once again at the center of a growing national debate — this time not over how it responds, but whether it should continue to exist in its current form. Proposals to significantly shrink or even eliminate FEMA’s role have alarmed disaster preparedness experts and local officials alike. These calls to dismantle the agency come at a time when disaster declarations are surging and the federal cost of emergency response has soared into the tens of billions.

Critics argue that stripping away FEMA’s centralized coordination would leave poorer, rural, and historically marginalized communities more vulnerable, as they often lack the resources to recover on their own. For residents already living on the front lines of climate disruption, FEMA’s uncertain future has created a new anxieties.

Related: FEMA faces potential funding shortfall amid increasing natural disasters

A building with a plaque reading United STates Environmental Protection Agency next to a glass door and elegant lanterns.
Credit: Kristina Blokhin/ BigStock Photo ID:196171783

EPA shifts scientists from research to chemical approvals, raising alarm over independence

In a dramatic shake-up, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving dozens of scientists from its research office to chemical review roles, prompting fears of weakened environmental protections.

Lisa Friedman and Hiroko Tabuchi report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
ripe pineapple fruits in a row on shelves.

Hawaii moves to sue Big Oil over climate costs; Trump administration strikes first

Hawaii’s plan to sue fossil fuel companies over climate damages prompted the Trump administration to preemptively sue Hawaii and Michigan, seeking to block the anticipated lawsuits.

Karen Zraick reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
group of people walking inside building without lights.

How fragile power grids and extreme weather combined to cause Europe’s biggest blackout in decades

A widespread blackout in Spain, Portugal, and parts of France has exposed the growing vulnerabilities of modern power grids as they adapt to climate change, cyber threats and the renewable energy transition.

Jillian Ambrose reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Blue and brown bird on gray wooden fence during daytime.

Most North American bird species are declining as once-safe habitats falter

Bird populations across North America are plummeting, with three-quarters of species in decline even in their most stable habitats, according to a new study.

Dino Grandoni reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Body of water under sunset sky during sunset with smokestacks and industry in the background.

Trump accelerates environmental rollbacks at unprecedented pace in first 100 days

Donald Trump’s administration has moved to dismantle 145 environmental protections in just 100 days, outpacing the entire first term’s rollbacks and targeting rules on pollution, fossil fuels, and public lands.

Oliver Milman reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
people gathered outside buildings holding Climate Justice Now signage.

Trump administration moves to eliminate $2.4 billion in environmental justice grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump is cutting more than $2.4 billion in grants aimed at aiding disadvantaged communities, despite a court order to resume funding.

Marianne Lavelle and Peter Aldhous report for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Row of Canadian flags hanging outside a building.

Canada’s new prime minister backs fossil fuels while promising Indigenous partnerships

Canada’s newly elected prime minister, Mark Carney, has pledged to expand the nation’s energy production and fast-track extractive projects while promising to uphold Indigenous rights, drawing both optimism and concern from Indigenous leaders.

Anita Hofschneider reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.