Glaciers are melting, coastlines are disappearing, and Europe often faces extreme heat. The warnings from climate experts are no longer about the distant future—they’re about today. Last year was the third hottest on record, and predictions indicate that global temperatures might surpass the Paris Agreement limit of 1.5°C even before 2030. This is happening a decade earlier than expected.
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, highlights that we are experiencing climate events much earlier than scientists anticipated. “We are seeing conditions now that we expected in the 2050s and beyond,” she states.
Recent data reveal disturbing trends. The world’s oceans absorbed unprecedented levels of heat last year. In January 2025, devastating California wildfires claimed around 440 lives and resulted in economic losses exceeding $40 billion, according to Swiss Re.
Hurricane Melissa marked a historic surge in hurricane intensity, being one of three Category 5 hurricanes to hit the North Atlantic in 20 years. The rapid intensification of these storms is attributed to warmer ocean temperatures, leaving little time for preparations.
Research from the Grantham Institute shows that climate change has increased heat-related deaths in Europe by threefold during heatwaves. Fossil fuel emissions have raised temperatures by as much as 4 °C in affected cities, contributing to 1,500 of the estimated 2,300 heat deaths in Europe alone.
While many regions face challenges from climate change, areas with fewer resources, especially in the Global South, experience equally grim situations. In Pakistan, recent flash floods claimed over a thousand lives, and millions in Kenya are grappling with severe drought. “These crises often go unnoticed, but they are urgent,” says Scott Craig from the International Federation of the Red Cross.
A report from EMDAT states that climate-related disasters affected 78 million people, resulting in over 11,900 deaths. Even though 2025 saw fewer catastrophic events in terms of financial losses, it still registered $220 billion in losses, a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges.
Experts note a slight improvement in the “protection gap,” with 49% of losses being insured. This growing awareness is helping communities become more resilient. “We’re experiencing extraordinary climate conditions,” Burgess warns. Increasingly severe climate events, such as floods and droughts, are generating humanitarian crises that compound existing vulnerabilities.
To thrive in these extraordinary times, it’s crucial to not only respond to immediate needs but also build long-term resilience in affected communities. The long-term effects of these crises far exceed the initial disasters, requiring a comprehensive and collective effort to address them effectively.
