Why in the News?

A new German watch report, ‘Climate Risk Index 2026’, reveals worldwide extreme weather claimed over 8lakh lives between 1995-2024.

About the Climate Risk Index (CRI), 2026:

Publisher: Released annually by Germanwatch to rank countries based on the real, observed human and economic impacts of extreme weather events.
Focus: Measures actual climate impacts, not projections- making it a grounded vulnerability assessment.
Data Sources: Uses EM-DAT disaster database along with World Bank and IMF datasets.
Hazards Covered: Includes hydrological, meteorological, and climatological events.
6 Indicators under 3 metrics: Fatalities (absolute and per 100,000 population), number of people affected (absolute and relative), economic losses in US$ (absolute and relative).
Objective: Highlights climate vulnerability, informs adaptation priorities, and supports global climate finance and policy debates.

Long-term Rank: 9th most affected globally (1995–2024).
Annual Rank 2024: 15th, showing continued high exposure.
Event Frequency: Faced ~430 extreme weather events in three decades.
Impact: Over 80,000 deaths, 1.3 billion people affected, and USD 170 billion in economic losses.
Risk Profile: Classified as a “continuous threat” country due to repeated floods, cyclones, and heatwaves.
Global Negotiations: Bolsters India’s demand for Loss & Damage finance under UNFCCC processes.

Coverage: Assesses trends for 1995–2024 plus a separate deep-dive for 2024.
Overall Impact: More than 832,000 deaths and USD 4.5 trillion in losses from over 9,700 extreme events since 1995.
Event Trends:
- Heatwaves and storms caused the highest deaths.
- Floods affected the most people.
- Storms led to the largest economic losses.
Worst-affected (1995–2024): Dominica, Myanmar, Honduras.
Worst-affected in 2024: St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Chad.
Pattern: Disproportionate burden on Global South, especially SIDS and low-income countries.
Risk Types Identified:
- States hit by one major catastrophic event.
- States facing multiple recurring shocks without recovery time.
Takeaway: Underscores urgent need for adaptation, resilience, and Loss & Damage mechanisms.