In 2024, Asia and the Pacific experienced record-breaking heat, with temperatures in parts of South and Southeast Asia reaching 53°C. Between December 2024 and February 2025, six of the eleven global cities experiencing prolonged extreme heat were located in this region, highlighting the reality of climate change and its intensifying impacts on urban populations. This extreme heat is not an isolated event but a preview of a climate future that has already begun.
The climate crisis is increasingly a health crisis, particularly in densely populated cities. Rising temperatures, deteriorating air quality, and the spread of climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue and malaria are putting immense pressure on health systems. These environmental stresses exacerbate vulnerabilities for marginalized populations, undermining the capacity of health services to respond effectively.
Voices from the ground, including women informal workers in Thailand, reveal the human toll of extreme heat. Many individuals must continue working outdoors despite dangerous conditions, exposing themselves to respiratory and cardiovascular problems, heat-related illness, and even heightened risks of miscarriage. These individual experiences reflect broader regional challenges, as approximately 90 percent of the population regularly breathes air deemed unsafe by WHO standards, over 500 million people lack access to basic water supplies, and droughts are expected to increase by 5 to 20 percent by the century’s end. Additionally, Asia and the Pacific house 70 percent of the global population vulnerable to sea-level rise, six of the world’s largest coastal megacities, and experience an average of six natural disasters annually, compounding health and economic risks.
Extreme weather, disrupted rainfall, and rising temperatures are also facilitating the spread of vector-borne diseases into previously low-risk urban areas, placing additional strain on already overstretched health systems. Despite these mounting threats, health remains under-prioritized in climate adaptation efforts, with less than one percent of global climate finance dedicated to protecting health, leaving cities vulnerable to escalating climate-related health challenges.
UNDP has been working to address these gaps, supporting 72 health projects across the region in 2024, many targeting the intersection of climate and health. Through partnerships with the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, the Clean Air Fund, the Government of Japan, and global health initiatives, UNDP is helping countries strengthen resilient and inclusive health systems while exploring new financing models that link climate investments with health outcomes.
To effectively respond to these challenges, cities must integrate health into urban planning and governance, expand early warning systems, and bolster primary care capable of operating under extreme conditions. Policies and programs must center the experiences of those most at risk—women, informal workers, youth, and persons with disabilities—to ensure interventions reflect real-world conditions.
Asia and the Pacific are at a pivotal moment. The region faces some of the world’s most severe climate impacts but also demonstrates remarkable innovation, community leadership, and resilience. Decisions made today regarding investment, policy, and prioritization will determine whether cities become hubs of safety and health or continue to face rising inequality and climate risk. In a region where heat intensifies each year, resilience must grow even stronger.
