#Disasterpreparedness

Asia is experiencing a rapid acceleration in climate change, warming at twice the rate of the global average, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This alarming trend, highlighted in the WMO’s latest assessment released in June 2025, points to sweeping and devastating impacts for millions across the continent—including Thailand—underscoring urgent calls for adaptation and resilience measures.

For Thai readers, this news is particularly significant given the country’s vulnerability to heat waves, shifting rainfall patterns, and sea-level rise. Thailand, with its extensive agricultural sector and dense urban populations near coasts and rivers, stands at the frontline of Asia’s climate crisis.

A recent assessment from the World Meteorological Organization shows Asia is warming at twice the global rate. The findings underscore urgent adaptation needs for millions, including in Thailand, where heat waves, shifting rainfall, and rising seas threaten livelihoods.

For Thailand, the implications are personal. The country’s agriculture, coastal communities, and tourism-dependent regions are especially vulnerable to climate shocks. WMO notes that Asia’s rapid warming is driven mainly by its vast landmass, which heats up faster than the oceans and intensifies extreme weather. These changes ripple through farming, fisheries, and tourism—key pillars of Thailand’s economy.

A bold call for $1.4 billion in emergency funding to provide sexual and reproductive health services for over 45 million people living in crisis-affected countries has been issued, underscoring the acute challenges faced by women and girls amid escalating global crises. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched this appeal as part of its effort to address an urgent resource gap that is putting lives at risk, with a specific focus on life-saving reproductive health care and programs to prevent gender-based violence (UN News).

A global appeal for $1.4 billion in emergency funding aims to deliver essential sexual and reproductive health services to more than 45 million people in crisis-affected countries. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched the initiative to close a critical resource gap that endangers lives, focusing on life-saving care and programs to prevent gender-based violence.

In 2024, humanitarian needs reached new heights, with a record 122.6 million people forcibly displaced by conflicts, disasters, and climate shocks. Half are women and girls. Looking ahead to 2025, some 11 million pregnant women are expected to require urgent support due to violence, displacement, and disrupted health services. These figures resonate for Thai readers as regional crises and climate events continue to touch Southeast Asia. Thailand remains active in regional humanitarian efforts and hosts thousands of refugees and displaced persons, underscoring the practical relevance of resumed funding for frontline health work, NGOs, and civil society engaged in cross-border response.