Climate vulnerability
“Why does climate change fall hardest on the countries with the least capacity to respond?”
Root causes (expand to see solutions)
Climate vulnerability is linked to the wealth of nations as closely as their geography: the most exposed countries are largely low-income, with limited cash reserves and weak infrastructure to absorb shocks.
What's at stake
As farmland dries and coasts flood, people are forced to move: the World Bank projects over 200 million internal climate migrants by 2050. A major natural disaster wipes out years of development. As land and water grow scarce, competition for them feeds increasing conflict.
The global picture
Sahel
High severity
Worsening drought and heat are pushing farming and herding past their limits.
These are the most acute regions and notable examples; the problem reaches many other countries too.