Presentation short abstract

Based on a detailed analysis of the specific causes of death, this contribution aims to shed light on how disasters are socially produced and governed, particularly through increased exposure and vulnerability to disasters, as a direct consequence of neoliberal urban planning decoupled from nature.

Presentation long abstract

The increase in natural disasters, often linked to climate change, not only causes enormous material damage and impacts on biodiversity, but also claims thousands of lives worldwide each year. Between 1995 and 2024 alone, 830,000 people died worldwide because of natural disasters, and 58% of these deaths were due to storms and floods (Adil et al., 2025: 20). In Europe, the Valencia floods of October 2024 were one of the most serious events, with 229 fatalities. Many of these people died in the street, in their homes, or inside their cars, unaware of the danger they faced, and for almost a week the Spanish state proved incapable of providing aid to most of the 75 affected towns.

Based on a detailed analysis of the specific causes of death of these individuals, the result of extensive research into a highly sensitive issue, this contribution aims to shed light on how disasters are socially produced, particularly through increased exposure and vulnerability to disasters, a direct consequence of neoliberal urban planning decoupled from nature. Secondly, it seeks to highlight the weak and insufficient government response to this disaster, despite Spain's excellent economic standing in 2024 according to classic capitalist metrics such as GDP, job creation, and corporate profits. The growing decoupling between the capitalist economy and social protection against disasters is analysed from the perspective of the political ecology of natural disasters, using the case of Valencia as a case study, to urge the construction of a society better adapted to natural disasters.