Laos, officially known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia located in the Mekong River Basin. The country has diverse topography, with approximately 80 percent of its land area mountainous and the remaining 20 percent consisting of low-lying plains. Laos experiences two main seasons: the rainy monsoon and the dry season.

The climate is generally hot and humid, with average temperatures ranging from 15°C to 35°C during the hotter months. In recent years, however, the country has faced increasing climate risks, including more frequent extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, as well as changing rainfall patterns and rising temperatures. As a result, Laos is considered among the countries most vulnerable to projected climate change trends, with the communities increasingly exposed to severe climate-related hazards (World Bank Group, 2021).  

These climate change impacts disproportionately affect poorer and more marginalized communities, where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood. Many households face a high risk of falling into poverty when exposed to extreme weather events (ADB, 2017). In response, since 2015, Lao PDR’s NDCs have been focusing on climate change adaptation and mitigation across key sectors, including agriculture, forestry, land use, water resources, energy, transport, urban development, and public health.