Weather- and climate-related disasters have caused $2.4 trillion in economic losses and nearly 2 million deaths globally since 1971 according to a new report. While the losses are staggering, the report also shows that we have learned from past disasters, lessons the world will need as development continues in hazardous areas and the climate continues to change.

The report, released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), highlights just how costly extreme weather could be as well as how important disaster reporting is. It focused on six types of hazards: floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, storms, wildfires, and landslides from 1971 to 2010.

It’s easy to look at the graphics in the report and see trends in the number of reported disasters and their cost. Each has risen notably since the 1970s.

While it’s tempting to peg the rise to one cause, the story is a lot more complicated. The report itself didn’t analyze the causes, but Jochen Luther, an analyst with WMO’s disaster risk reduction program, said a number of factors have come into play.

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