Climate Hazards Threaten Nearly 900 Million People: The Rising Tide of Inequality

Nearly 800 million people around the world are living in severe poverty while facing climate hazards like extreme heat, flooding, and air pollution. This alarming statistic comes from the 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), published before the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

This MPI report, titled “Overlapping Hardships: Poverty and Climate Hazards,” was created by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). It reveals a strong link between climate change and poverty, highlighting how these two issues are interconnected.

Haoliang Xu, the Acting Administrator at UNDP, emphasizes the need for world leaders to address climate risks that threaten nearly 900 million people living in poverty. He urges that any climate pledges made at the conference should prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable.

The report points out that 651 million people living in acute poverty face two or more climate dangers, while 309 million are exposed to even more hazards. In many cases, these individuals lack resources and access to support systems, making them especially susceptible to environmental shocks. High heat and air pollution are the most common threats, affecting 608 million and 577 million people, respectively. Meanwhile, 465 million individuals live in flood-prone regions, and 207 million face the risks of drought.

Sabina Alkire, Director of OPHI, highlights the urgency of addressing climate crises and poverty together. Understanding where these problems overlap is essential for crafting strategies that benefit both the planet and its people.

Countries like India are particularly hard hit. Rising temperatures and air pollution disproportionately affect poorer communities, especially in regions like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where limited infrastructure magnifies vulnerability.

Furthermore, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are identified as hotspots for climate-related poverty. South Asia has 380 million people exposed to climate hazards, representing over 99% of the poor in that region. Despite progress in reducing poverty, the report urges these areas to enhance their climate resilience.

Lower-middle-income countries bear the largest burdens, with over half a billion individuals facing climate risks. Reports predict that the impacts will worsen as temperatures continue to rise, deepening existing inequalities.

Pedro Conceio, Director of the UNDP Human Development Report Office, notes that the issues today are merely a glimpse of what’s to come. The predictions indicate that countries suffering the most from poverty will experience the most significant temperature increases by the end of the century.

The report calls for urgent action to tackle these inequalities. It advocates for strategies that build climate resilience and support local adaptive capacities, as well as international finance mechanisms to safeguard vulnerable communities.

India faces significant hurdles in aligning climate finance with sustainable development. Other developing nations share the challenge of fostering growth while enhancing climate resilience. The MPI findings stress that without decisive and inclusive climate action, existing inequalities will only grow.

In these challenging times, the message is clear: addressing climate change and poverty is essential for a just and sustainable future.



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