The threat posed by climate change in 2025 is more urgent and quantifiable than ever. Recent data indicate an 86% likelihood that global average temperatures will exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within the next five years. It is a threshold that scientists warn will significantly amplify the risks of extreme weather events, sea level rise, and widespread health threats. Already, at least one in five people globally experienced a significant influence of climate change on temperatures every day from December 2024 to February 2025. In just those three months, 394 million people endured 30 or more days of “risky heat” exacerbated by climate change, with the most severe impacts felt in Africa. The accelerating pace of environmental change makes preparedness and effective response not only prudent but vital for safeguarding lives and livelihoods.
The Many Faces of Climate-related Risks
The impacts of climate change manifest in diverse and often interconnected ways, amplifying the scale and frequency of disasters. Among the most significant risks are:
- Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency and severity of hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons threaten coastal regions, destroying infrastructure and displacing populations.
- Flooding: Heavy rainfall events and rising sea levels lead to riverine and coastal floods, submerging homes, contaminating water supplies, and eroding agricultural lands.
- Droughts and Water Scarcity: Prolonged droughts have become more common, undermining food security, economic development, and access to clean water.
- Wildfires: Higher temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns fuel larger and more intense wildfires, with devastating consequences for communities, biodiversity, and air quality.
- Health Risks: Shifts in vector-borne diseases, heat stress, and malnutrition are closely tied to climate disruptions.
- Migration and Displacement: Environmental extremes force families from their homes, creating new humanitarian crises and placing further strains on vulnerable populations.
Why Preparedness Matters: The Role of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Disaster risk reduction aims to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks while managing residual risks, all of which help strengthen resilience and support sustainable development. Disaster Risk Reduction involves a wide range of actions designed to improve community resilience and lessen the impact of disasters before they happen. The key elements include early warning systems, risk assessments, education and training, community involvement, and infrastructure resilience. When these strategies are based on field experiences and local realities, they save lives and lower the long-term costs of disasters.
Drowning: A Silent and Preventable Tragedy
On July 25th, we mark World Drowning Prevention Day, as officially declared by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in April 2021 (Resolution A/RES/75/273). This designation affirms drowning as a preventable global public health issue and establishes July 25th each year as a day for international advocacy and awareness-raising to prevent drownings worldwide.
In the context of climate change and disaster risk, drowning remains a profoundly overlooked and preventable threat. Each year, an estimated 236,000 people die from drowning, with disproportionate impacts on children and communities in low- and middle-income countries. Rising sea levels, increased flooding, and expanded water bodies due to heavy rainfall all elevate the risk of unintentional drowning. Collective action combining education, local knowledge, and policy advocacy is essential to reduce these entirely preventable deaths.
“From the Field to Framework”
MOAS book, “,” draws together years of frontline experience in disaster risk reduction and prevention. The publication is based on the Flood & Water and Fire Response & Prevention training courses that MOAS conducted in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, in Bangaldesh, from 2019 to 2024, providing residents with life-saving tools and expertise to respond to disasters.
It is an in-depth study of the lessons learned through real-world engagement, documenting what works, what challenges persist, and how best to translate knowledge into sustainable action. The book aims to serve as a resource for practitioners, policymakers, and anyone committed to building safer, more resilient communities.
Final Thoughts
As climate change continues to influence our collective future, the importance of preparedness and coordinated response cannot be overstated. The risks and opportunities are global, yet the solutions are inherently local, shaped by the courage and ingenuity of communities on the frontlines.
On this World Drowning Prevention Day, let’s commit to working together: to educate, to innovate, and to invest in the safety and resilience of those most vulnerable. The fight against climate-related disasters is challenging, but with preparedness, compassion, and the willingness to learn from experience, we can turn risk into opportunity and tragedy into hope.
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Disclaimer: “Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.”