Myth: Global warming causes disasters

Liberal myth

Global warming caused Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters.

The facts

Natural disasters are just that, and occur with or without global warming.

Many activists have tried to link each natural disaster as it occurs—hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, floods, wildfires, crop failures, disease outbreaks, and even snowstorms—to global warming. Although the theoretical link between warming and some natural disasters is plausible, the scientific evidence points away from anything more than a small connection.

There is no consistent long-term pattern in the frequency of these events. For example, while Hurricane Katrina was part of a worse-than-average 2005 hurricane season, the 2006 hurricane season was an unusually weak one.

Related Heritage research

• Ben Lieberman, “Frequently Asked Questions About Global Warming,” March 21, 2007
• Ben Lieberman, “Don’t Rush To Judgment on U.N.’s IPCC Global Warming Summary,” February 7, 2007