India ranked among the six most affected countries in the long-term Climate Risk Index  2025, reflecting the rising toll of extreme weather events in South Asia, according to a report by Bonn-based public policy advocate Germanwatch.

The index, covering the period from 1993 to 2022, highlighted the increasing frequency of storms, heatwaves, and flooding in the country, which resulted in at least 80,000 fatalities and economic losses exceeding $180 billion.

The findings placed India among nations facing continuous climate threats, along with China, the Philippines and Pakistan. Severe monsoon floods, recurrent heatwaves and devastating cyclones have made India one of the most exposed countries to climate disasters, the report said.

“Recurring extreme weather events are reshaping India’s socio-economic fabric,” said lead author Lina Adil. “The frequency and intensity of these events are worsening, and their impact is felt across all levels of society, particularly among vulnerable communities.”

The 2022 heatwave in India, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, was one of the deadliest on record. Other major disasters included Cyclone Amphan in 2020, the Uttarakhand floods in 2013, and widespread monsoon flooding in 2019.

Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Beyond India, the report painted a stark picture of escalating climate risks worldwide. More than 765,000 people died globally from extreme weather between 1993 and 2022, with economic losses amounting to nearly $4.2 trillion.

The CRI ranked Pakistan, Belize, and Italy as the most affected countries in 2022, primarily due to catastrophic floods and heat waves.

Pakistan’s 2022 monsoon floods were the country’s worst on record, submerging a third of its land, killing over 1,700 people, and displacing 8.1 million. The economic damage exceeded $15 billion, with recovery costs estimated at over $16 billion. Scientists attributed the disaster to climate change, which intensified rainfall by 50 percent.

Extreme heatwaves were the deadliest climate event of 2022, causing more than 61,000 deaths, primarily in Europe. Italy, Greece, and Spain suffered record-breaking temperatures, leading to severe droughts and wildfires.

Global South Bears the Brunt

The CRI highlighted a significant disparity in climate vulnerability. While high-income countries are increasingly affected, lower-middle-income nations in the Global South, including Honduras, Myanmar, and the Philippines, face disproportionate long-term risks.

Small Island Developing States such as Dominica and Vanuatu remain highly vulnerable due to their geographical exposure to hurricanes and rising sea levels.

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative index further supported these findings, showing that the poorest nations have the least capacity to cope with climate disasters. Human mortality from extreme weather events has been 15 times higher in vulnerable countries over the past decade.

Call for Urgent Action

The report warned that the world is entering a ‘new normal’ of extreme weather driven by human-induced climate change. COP29’s failure to secure a robust climate finance framework further complicated global efforts to combat the crisis. The proposed $300 billion annual climate finance target by 2035 is deemed insufficient to meet adaptation and loss-and-damage needs in developing nations.

“It is imperative that high-emitting countries ramp up mitigation efforts,” said Adil. “Phasing out fossil fuels, increasing renewable energy investment and strengthening global climate finance mechanisms are critical steps to protect the most vulnerable communities.”

With 2024 marked as the hottest year on record and 2025 projected to continue the trend, the CRI serves as a stark reminder that the window for meaningful climate action is rapidly closing.

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