Average temperatures are rising due primarily to the release of increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels. This is provoking other changes, including rising sea levels and changes in rainfall. These changes appear to be increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events – floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and tornados – which have the potential to provoke large-scale human crises. Armed conflicts provoke intense human suffering and waste limited resources that are urgently needed to protect the life and well-being of millions of vulnerable and under-protected people around the world. In this article, Seif Rashid looks at disasters and describes the role of the Red Cross/Red Crescent in responding to humanitarian needs in affected areas.