This report describes the distribution and impacts of weather, climate, and water-related disasters and highlights measures to increase resilience. It states these kinds of disasters are on the rise worldwide, causing loss of life and setting back economic and social development. From 1970 to 2012, 8 835 disasters, 1.94 million deaths, and US$ 2.4 trillion of economic losses were reported globally as a result of hazards such as droughts, extreme temperatures, floods, tropical cyclones and related health epidemics. The Atlas aims to provide decision-makers with actionable information for protecting life and property and highlights the need for stronger efforts to report, standardise and analyse data on weather, climate, and water-related hazards to improve understanding of disasters and reinforce the platform for prevention.