Poverty meets climate crisis: 887 million at extreme risk worldwide

The report finds that out of 1.1 billion people in multidimensional povert, which includes health, education, and living standard, 887 million face at least one climate hazard, 651 million endure two or more, and 309 million confront three or four simultaneously. 

South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are the hardest hit, with 380 million and 344 million poor living in climate-vulnerable regions, respectively. In South Asia, a staggering 99.1% of poor individuals face at least one climate shock, with over 91% encountering two or more.

Middle-income countries, housing nearly two-thirds of poor populations, emerge as a critical, often overlooked epicentre where poverty and climate crises converge. Approximately 548 million poor people in these countries face at least one climate hazard, and over 470 million face multiple hazards. 

The report warns that countries suffering higher multidimensional poverty levels today are also projected to experience the most intense temperature rises by century’s end.

UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu stresses the urgency of integrated solutions: “Poverty is no longer a standalone socio-economic issue. Instead, it is compounded by and interlinked with the increasingly dramatic effects of the climate emergency.” 

The report calls for aligning poverty reduction efforts with climate mitigation, adaptation, and ecosystem restoration to protect vulnerable populations and the planet. As the world prepares for COP30, the message is clear, cooperation and urgent, well-funded action can support those most at risk and help turn the tide on this escalating crisis.