Ahead of COP31, IFRC calls for urgent investment to protect world's most vulnerable

Geneva, 4 November 2026 - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is calling on world leaders gathering at COP31 to urgently scale up investment to better protect communities from the growing humanitarian impacts of climate change. Across the world, extreme heat, floods, droughts and storms are threatening lives, livelihoods and health, with the greatest impacts often falling on communities already facing poverty, conflict and displacement. With a stronger El Niño expected to bring further extreme weather in the coming months, investment in preparedness and adaptation is increasingly critical to protecting communities and saving lives. The recent devastating floods in Nepal demonstrate both the humanitarian risks and the life-saving importance of investing in preparedness. When a glacier collapse triggered a flash flood that was thundering towards a school, its headteacher evacuated his 1600 students to higher ground, just nine minutes before the flood arrived. Years earlier, the headteacher had received disaster preparedness training from the Nepal Red Cross Society, which he credited for giving him the knowledge and confidence to act quickly. His school was destroyed, but every child survived. "The experience in Nepal shows what is possible when communities have the knowledge and resources to act before disaster strikes," said Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General. "But far too many communities still lack the support they need to prepare for increasingly severe climate risks. At COP31, we need governments to move beyond commitments and invest in practical solutions that protect lives, livelihoods and health, particularly for those most at risk. At a time when budgets are under pressure, investing in preparedness is not only the right thing to do. It can also significantly reduce the costs of responding to disasters after they strike." Updated analysis undertaken for the IFRC and WWF ahead of COP31 also suggests that nature-based solutions could reduce the intensity of climate- and weather-related hazards by approximately 31% on average. The research estimates that these solutions could help developing countries avoid at least US$148 billion in economic losses annually by 2030, rising to US$577 billion annually by 2050. At COP31, the IFRC is calling for action in three priority areas: • Protecting health and wellbeing: Governments must invest in climate-resilient health systems and take stronger action to protect people from extreme heat and other growing climate-related health risks. Health must be central to national climate adaptation plans. • Investing in local communities: More climate finance must reach the people and communities most affected by climate change. Following the commitment at COP30 to triple adaptation finance by 2035, governments must now deliver on that promise and ensure that funding reaches local organisations and communities, enabling them to lead their own adaptation efforts. • Getting ahead of disasters: Early warnings only save lives when communities have the resources and capacity to act on them. In 2025, 9.6 million people were supported by anticipatory action. Governments must match investment in early warning systems with greater support for community preparedness, anticipatory action and pre-arranged financing. Through its network of 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the IFRC works alongside communities around the world to strengthen preparedness, expand early warning systems and support action before disasters strike. For the IFRC, COP31 is an opportunity to ensure that global climate commitments translate into meaningful action for the communities facing the greatest risks. In Antalya (during COP31) Andrew Thomas, +41 76 367 6587 Sevil Erkus, +90 536 644 9122 Nora Peter, +36 70 953 7709 Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367 Scott Craig, +41 76 370 3575