Crisis Prevention and Recovery

The 21st Century has already been marked by escalating economic losses and human devastation associated with disasters involving natural hazards. In 2006 alone, 426 disasters occurred in 108 countries, affecting 143 million people and causing 34.6 billion in economic losses. Economic losses from climate-related disasters in the 20th Century were three times greater than those from geo-physical hazards (earthquakes, avalanches, landslides) and affected 55 times the number of people. The overwhelming majority of those people affected by climate-related disasters live in developing countries. Learn more (pdf)...

Watch a video about the impact climate change and natural disasters can have on women's lives, featuring Frank Maxx Dilley, Leader of the Disaster Team.

Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st Century. Failure to respond to that challenge will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem. Looking to the future, no country—however wealthy or powerful—will be immune to the impact of global warming.

The Human Development Report 2007/2008, 'Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world', shows that climate change is not just a future scenario. Read more...