Rising temperatures are fuelling extreme weather events by UN News, WMO, agencies   4 Dec. 2025   Deadly storms sweep South and Southeast Asia, leaving over 1,600 dead. (UN News)   From Sri Lanka’s central highlands to Indonesia’s flood-swollen river basins, a wave of climate-fuelled cyclones and monsoon rains has unleashed one of the deadliest weather patterns south and southeast Asia has seen in years, killing more than 1,600 people, displacing hundreds of thousands and affecting millions.   Since mid-November, overlapping tropical storms and intensified monsoon systems have triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Viet Nam.   UN teams across the region are supporting government-led emergency operations with food, health, water and sanitation aid, medical deployments and early recovery assessments, as heavy rains continue and fears grow that the crisis could deepen.   Warm ocean temperatures and shifting storm tracks have produced extreme rainfall in areas that historically faced lower cyclone risk.   Across the region, nearly 11 million people have been affected, including about 1.2 million forced from their homes into shelters, while roads, utilities and farmlands have been washed away.   Sri Lanka bore some of the worst impacts after Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on 28 November, triggering floods and landslides across nearly the entire island.   The highest death tolls were reported in the hill districts of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, where landslides swept through plantation communities. Severe flooding also inundated western and north-western districts – including Colombo’s outer suburbs – disrupting markets, transport and water supplies. Children have been especially hard hit, with more than 275,000 estimated to be affected.   In Indonesia, relentless downpours between 22 and 25 November triggered deadly floods and landslides across Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra, devastating dozens of districts.   Official figures indicate more than 830 deaths, with at least 500 people still missing, and more than 880,000 displaced. In total, over three million people have been affected by floodwaters, collapsed hillsides and destroyed infrastructure.   Entire villages have been submerged, bridges washed away and roads cut off, isolating communities and slowing rescue efforts. Emergency teams are relying on helicopters and boats to deliver aid to areas unreachable by land.   Moving east, intensified monsoon rains have battered southern Thailand, where 12 provinces have been affected.   At least 185 people have died, with 367 missing and over four million people impacted. More than 219,000 residents have been displaced as rivers burst their banks and low-lying coastal areas flooded.   In neighbouring Malaysia, flooding across eight northern and central states has displaced around 37,000 people. Authorities continue to issue evacuation orders and weather warnings as rain persists.   Viet Nam is confronting the cumulative toll of one of its harshest typhoon seasons in years. Since October, a succession of storms has flooded and damaged large swathes of the country, particularly in northern and central provinces.   Persistent downpours since mid-November, compounded by Tropical Cyclone Koto, have triggered new landslides and prolonged displacement. A national joint response plan is under way to address food insecurity, health risks and damaged infrastructure.   UN agencies say the storms reflect a broader shift toward more intense and unpredictable weather across the Asia-Pacific. Cyclone Ditwah tracked unusually far south along Sri Lanka’s coast, while Cyclone Senyar formed near the equator in the Strait of Malacca – a rare occurrence.   The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in its latest report issued last week, warned that rising temperatures are fundamentally reshaping the region’s risk landscape.   2 Dec. 2025   Devastating rainfall in Asia claims hundreds of lives. (WMO)   Warmer ocean waters are increasing the potential for extreme rainfall, while rapid urban growth, deforestation and wetland loss are magnifying flood impacts. Even where early warnings were issued, fast-rising waters overwhelmed evacuation routes in some locations.   Devastating rainfall has triggered catastrophic flooding in parts of South and Southeast Asia, claiming hundreds of lives, displacing entire communities and causing massive economic disruption.   Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam are among the countries currently worst affected by a combination of monsoon-related rainfall and tropical cyclone activity.   Asia is highly vulnerable to floods, according to the WMO’s State of the Climate in Asia reports. Rising temperatures increase the potential risk of more extreme rainfall because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.   “The Asia-Pacific region faces the most intense and frequent tropical cyclone activity in the world. Record-breaking rainfall, storm surges and floods displace millions and cause billions of dollars in economic losses,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said.   Monthly Seasonal Climate Outlook Briefings and Scans, highlighting the increased probabilities of above and well above-normal precipitation across several parts of Southeast Asia and the Maritime Continent, and that such prolonged conditions would contribute to increased flood risk. The seasonal climate outlook for South Asia for October to December said that above-normal rainfall is likely across much of central, eastern, and southern South Asia.   Global HydroMet Weekly Scan, issued on 20 and 26 Nov, referring to heavy / very heavy rain, intense thunderstorms, strong winds and storm surge (flash floods / landslides / floods likely) in Sri Lanka, south-eastern India, southern Thailand, Viet Nam, western Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines, including the possible tropical cyclones formation and evolution.   Temperature increase is accelerating in Arab Region. (WMO)   “2024 was the hottest year on record for the Arab region – a continuation of a long-term trend. Temperatures are rising at twice the global average, with intense heatwaves that are pushing society to the limits.   Human health, ecosystems and economies can’t cope with extended spells of more than 50 °Celsius – it is simply too hot to handle.   Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe in one of the world’s most water-stressed regions. And at the same time, we have seen some disruptive and dangerous deluges,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.   The average temperature in 2024 was 1.08 °C above the 1991-2020 average. The length of heatwaves has increased, especially in North Africa and the Near East, with a clear upward trend since 1981, it says. A number of countries reported temperatures of above 50 °C in 2024.   Drought worsened in 2024 in western North Arica after six consecutive failed rainy seasons, especially over Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Conversely – extreme rainfall and flash floods caused death and destruction in otherwise arid countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.   The frequency and severity of extreme weather and climate events have increased significantly, with an 83% rise in recorded disasters between 1980–1999 and 2000–2019.   “Climate models covering the Arab region project a potential rise in average temperatures of up to 5°C by the end of the century under high-emission scenarios. Rising sea levels also threaten coastal cities. Declining rainfall affects water scarcity and jeopardizes food production", said Rola Dashti Executive Secretary of Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/12/1166516 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/12/1166509 http://news.un.org/en/tags/extreme-weather http://wmo.int/media/news/devastating-rainfall-asia-claims-hundreds-of-lives http://wmo.int/media/news/temperature-increase-accelerating-arab-region-escalating-impacts http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/over-275000-children-affected-sri-lanka-following-devastating-cyclone http://www.france24.com/en/video/20251201-asia-floods-death-toll-tops-1-000-as-military-aid-survivors
	Climate inaction is claiming millions of lives every year by WHO, Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change   Nov. 2025   The World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners are calling for the protection of people’s health to be recognized as the most powerful driver of climate action, as a new global report warns that continued overreliance on fossil fuels and failure to adapt to a heating world are already having a devastating toll on human health.   The 2025 report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, produced in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), finds that 12 of 20 key indicators tracking health threats have reached record levels, showing how climate inaction is costing lives, straining health systems, and undermining economies.   “The climate crisis is a health crisis. Every fraction of a degree of warming costs lives and livelihoods,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care at the World Health Organization.   “This report, produced with WHO as a strategic partner, makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time. Cleaner air, healthier diets, and resilient health systems can save millions of lives now and protect current and future generations.”   Key findings from the 2025 Lancet Countdown report   Rising heat-related deaths: The rate of heat-related mortality has increased 23% since the 1990s, pushing total heat-related deaths to an average 546 000 deaths per year. The average person was exposed to 16 days of dangerous heat in 2024 that would not have been expected without climate change, with infants and older adults facing a total of over 20 heatwave days per person, a fourfold increase over the last twenty years.   Wildfire and drought impacts: Droughts and heatwaves were associated with an additional 124 million people facing moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023.   Economic strain: Heat exposure caused 640 billion potential labour hours to be lost in 2024, with productivity losses equivalent to US$ 1.09 trillion. The costs of heat-related deaths among older adults reached US$ 261 billion.   Fossil fuel subsidies dwarf climate finance: Governments spent US$ 956 billion on net fossil fuel subsidies in 2023, more than triple the annual amount pledged to support climate-vulnerable countries. Fifteen countries spent more subsidizing fossil fuels than on their entire national health budgets.   Benefits of climate action: There were an estimated 160,000 premature deaths avoided every year between 2010 and 2022, from reduced coal-derived outdoor air pollution alone.   Renewable energy generation reached a record 12% of global electricity, creating 16 million jobs worldwide. Two-thirds of medical students received education in climate and health in 2024.   “We already have the solutions at hand to avoid a climate catastrophe – and communities and local governments around the world are proving that progress is possible. From clean energy growth to city adaptation, action is underway and delivering real health benefits – but we must keep up the momentum,” said Dr Marina Romanello, Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown at University College London.   “Rapidly phasing out fossil fuels in favour of clean renewable energy and efficient energy use remains the most powerful lever to slow climate change and protect lives. At the same time, shifting to healthier, climate-friendly diets and more sustainable agricultural systems would massively cut pollution, greenhouse gases and deforestation, potentially saving over ten million lives a year.”   http://www.who.int/news/item/29-10-2025-climate-inaction-is-claiming-millions-of-lives-every-year--warns-new-lancet-countdown-report http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01919-1/abstract   * Some reactions to the outcome of the COP30 Climate Summit:   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/note-correspondents-conclusion-cop30 http://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/pik-assessment-on-cop30-closing http://climatenetwork.org/2025/11/22/cop30-takes-a-hopeful-step-towards-justice-but-does-not-go-far-enough/ http://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03851-6 http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2025/11/26/three-cop30-takeaways-humanitarians http://www.ciel.org/news/cop30-flounder-countries-look-beyond-unfccc-to-phase-out-fossil-fuels/ http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?15418966/WWF-Small-wins-leave-gaps-at-COP30-core-climate-goals-stay-out-of-reach http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/79935/climate-forest-protection-roadmaps-slashed-cop30-outcome-people-demand-change/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/24/cop30-fails-to-confront-drivers-of-climate-crisis http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/11/cop30-rights-trampled-yet-people-power-demonstrates-that-humanity-will-win/   http://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/statement-from-scientists-at-the-planetary-science-pavilion-current-state-of-cop30-negotiations http://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/digital-threats/what-does-information-integrity-have-to-do-with-climate/ http://www.un.org/en/climatechange/information-integrity http://www.unesco.org/en/information-integrity-climate-change http://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/cop30-verdict-people-in-polluters-still-in/ http://www.carbonbrief.org/cop30-key-outcomes-for-food-forests-land-and-nature-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-belem/ http://www.wri.org/insights/cop30-outcomes-next-steps http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/lord-stern-responds-to-cop30-outcome/ http://www.opendemocracy.net/en/cop30-climate-crisis-finance-development-debt-brazil-neoliberalism/ http://www.ipsnews.net/news/environment/cop30/ http://cupuladospovoscop30.org/en/manifesto-2   http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?15048941/WWF-COP30-decisions-will-shape-the-planet-for-years-to-come http://climatenetwork.org/2025/10/24/rich-countries-are-breaking-their-1-5c-obligation-can-study-finds-no-credible-commitments-to-fossil-phase-out-finance-or-just-transition-in-new-climate-plans/ http://www.ciel.org/cop30-climate-justice-legal-obligations/ http://climate.law.columbia.edu/news/sabin-center-climate-change-law-unep-release-new-climate-litigation-report http://climate.law.columbia.edu/ http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/climate-litigation-is-surging-amid-faltering-politics-and-diplomacy   http://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/state-of-the-climate-2025-earths-vital-signs-worsen-science-shows-options-for-livable-future http://fossilfueltreaty.org/iucn-reactive http://www.undp.org/press-releases/new-global-multidimensional-poverty-index-report-reveals-nearly-80-worlds-poor-live-regions-exposed-climate-hazards   http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/28/change-course-now-humanity-has-missed-15c-climate-target-says-un-head http://www.unep.org/resources/adaptation-gap-report-2025 http://www.carbonbrief.org/un-report-five-charts-which-explain-the-gap-in-finance-for-climate-adaptation/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166212 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166144 http://cvfv20.org/as-world-hurtles-past-1-5-climate-vulnerable-nations-demand-urgent-adaptation-finance/   http://cop30.br/en/news-about-cop30/special-envoys-highlight-challenges-and-opportunities-for-climate-mitigation-and-adaptation-ahead-of-cop30-in-belem http://infoamazonia.org/en/2025/10/20/ibama-license-for-block-59-paves-the-way-for-a-new-oil-rush-in-the-amazon/ http://www.desmog.com/2025/10/26/big-ag-greenwashing-climate-summit-cop30/   http://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/reporting-the-truth-when-politicians-lie http://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/79300/cop30-sight-5-things-need-know-cops/ http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/institute-responds-to-united-nations-framework-convention-on-climate-change-synthesis-report http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/cop30 http://enb.iisd.org/topics/climate-change http://unsdg.un.org/latest/announcements/un-secretary-generals-remarks-opening-high-level-special-event-climate-action
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