Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia with a coastline along the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The country has three main ecological zones: the central drylands, coastal areas, and hilly regions. Myanmar is highly exposed to climate risks, including floods, cyclones, extreme heat, landslides, and sea level rise. Combined with a poverty rate that has doubled since 2017 (UNDP, 2024), these factors place Myanmar among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world according to the ND-GAIN (2025)  Over the past 60 years, Myanmar has experienced rising temperatures, more erratic rainfall, and significant shifts in monsoon patterns, with considerable variation across the country (Tun Oo, 2023).  Extreme weather events are expected to continue, and shorter monsoon seasons combined with heavy rainfall events are likely to increase the frequency of flash floods (ibid.).  These trends pose serious risks to food and water security, infrastructure, and livelihoods.  

Around 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas, and roughly half of the workforce is engaged in agriculture (NUPI, 2024).  The central dry zone, where most crops are grown, is particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, water scarcity, and drought (Tun Oo, 2023).  Existing socioeconomic pressures further increase climate risks. For example, in southern coastal areas, declining fishing livelihoods have pushed some communities toward charcoal production, contributing to mangrove deforestation and weakening natural barriers against storm surges (Kim, 2024). 

In its 2021 NDC, Myanmar identified adaptation as a key priority, with a focus on strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems. However, the ongoing military takeover has triggered a humanitarian crisis and further heightened the country’s vulnerability to climate change (OHCHR, 2023).