In its latest report, The Cost of Doing Nothing, the IFRC presents an analysis showing that if no urgent action is taken now, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance annually due to the climate crisis could double by 2050. Similarly, financial costs could balloon to 20 billion US dollars per year.
In contrast with this pessimistic scenario, the report also shows that, if appropriate climate adaptation measures are taken now, these figures could also stabilize, and even drop. By investing in climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction – building up resilience in communities, countries and regions at risk – and by improving early warning and anticipatory humanitarian action, the world can avoid a future marked by escalating suffering and ballooning response costs.
The Cost of doing nothing was presented during the United Nations General Assembly 2019, in New York. This document reveals the real cost of inaction in front of the Climate Crisis. Our responsibility and accountability are totals, we must commit and fight Climate Change.