Global Climate Crisis 2025: Women and Poor Bear Brunt of Deadly Disasters, Experts Urge Immediate Action

Global Climate Crisis 2025: Women and Poor Bear Brunt of Deadly Disasters, Experts Urge Immediate Action
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In 2025, extreme climate events disproportionately impacted women and the world’s poorest communities, underscoring deep inequalities in vulnerability to heatwaves, floods and storms, according to a new year-end analysis by the scientific network World Weather Attribution (WWA) and climate data from other verified sources.

More details in the following report:

The WWA report, which examined 157 severe weather events worldwide, found that heatwaves emerged as the deadliest climate hazards of the year, often exceeding the mortality and displacement caused by floods and cyclones. In Europe alone, extreme heat claimed an estimated 24,400 lives, though actual deaths are believed to be significantly higher due to underreporting. Heatwaves and other extremes were made far more frequent and intense by human-driven climate change, with 2025 ranking among the hottest years on record.

The WWA analysis highlighted striking gender and socio-economic disparities. Women, especially in low-income regions, are disproportionately affected because they are more likely to work in informal, heat-exposed jobs such as agriculture or street vending and to shoulder unpaid care duties like fetching water and cooking in unsafe conditions — roles that amplify their exposure to extreme heat and long-term health risks. School closures in heat-stricken areas also threaten girls’ education and increase the risk of early marriage.

Globally, nearly 80 % of people living in multidimensional poverty — about 887 million individuals — reside in regions highly exposed to climate hazards, further entwining poverty with climate vulnerability, according to a UNDP report.

Other climate-related disasters in 2025, from devastating floods in South Asia to cyclones in the Indian Ocean, displaced millions and caused widespread damage. Studies show that warmer oceans fueled heavier rainfall and stronger storms, contributing to high death tolls and economic losses.

Experts stress that adaptation efforts alone are insufficient; deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and a swift shift from coal, oil and gas are critical to reducing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Without immediate global cooperation on climate mitigation and resilience financing, scientists warn that the disproportionate burden on women, children and the poorest populations will only intensify in the years ahead.