This is evident from a report released on Friday by the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the University of Oxford before the COP30 climate summit next month in Brazil.
Combining climate hazard data with multi-dimensional poverty data for the first time reveals how the climate crisis is reshaping global poverty.
“Poverty is no longer an isolated socio-economic problem. Instead, poverty is exacerbated by and linked to the increasingly dramatic impacts of the climate crisis,” said Haoliang Xu, UNDP Acting Administrator. UN news.
Millions are facing multiple climate shocks
High heat, air pollution, flooding and drought are the most widespread threats to the world’s poor, who often face multiple environmental challenges simultaneously.
Worldwide, 1.1 billion people live in multidimensional poverty – which affects healthcare, education and living standards – and 887 million people are directly exposed to at least one climate hazard.
As many as 651 million people are experiencing two or more climate shocks, while 309 million people live in regions experiencing three or four climate shocks simultaneously.
Geographic hotspots
South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa account for the largest number of poor people in regions affected by climate risks, with 380 million and 344 million respectively.
In South Asia, virtually everyone living in poverty – 99.1 percent – is facing one or more climate shocks. The region also leads the world in the number of people facing two or more hazards, with 351 million people, 91.6 percent.
“Middle-income countries are a hidden epicenter of multidimensional poverty, where almost two-thirds of all poor people live. And this is also where the climate crisis and poverty particularly converge,” said Sabina Alkire, director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. UN news.
It is estimated that roughly 548 million poor people in lower-middle-income countries are exposed to at least one climate hazard, and more than 470 million face two or more.
The report further shows that countries with higher current levels of multidimensional poverty are expected to experience the largest temperature increases by the end of the century.
‘Hope and cooperation’
The authors underlined the need for global action now.
“From our perspective at UNDP, addressing such complex and interconnected issues requires holistic, cross-sector solutions that are adequately funded and implemented with urgency,” said Mr. Xu.
“As we look to COP30, we convey a message of hope and cooperation. We know what works and can continue to support the populations and countries in need.”
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