More than 230 million people around the world are affected by emergencies each year. New research for this report predicts that, by 2015, this number could grow by 40 per cent to 325 million – partly as a result of the increasing threat of climate-related disasters and conflict. The predicted scale of humanitarian need by 2015 could overwhelm current capacity to respond to emergencies – unless the world chooses to prevent it. Even in daunting economic times, the world can afford to meet future humanitarian needs and fulfil the right to survive of vulnerable people. The skills and resources exist to mitigate the threats from climate-related catastrophic events. Indeed, some countries – rich and poor – have already demonstrated the political will to do just that. The Right to Survive shows that the humanitarian challenge of the twenty-first century demands a step-change in the quantity of resources devoted to saving lives in emergencies and in the quality and nature of humanitarian response. Whether or not there is sufficient will to do this will be one of the defining features of our age – and will dictate whether millions live or die.

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