A changing climate and rapidly growing exposure to disaster risk presents the world with an unprecedented challenge. For developing countries, both less able to cope with the impact and more likely to be affected, the challenge is particularly severe. These countries face mounting losses from a range of natural hazards, from earthquakes and tsunamis through to severe flooding, storms and drought. We face the threat of decades of development progress being rolled back and poverty becoming entrenched. Meanwhile, climate change cuts across society, from agriculture to health, energy to water resources.<\/p>\n