India Ranks Ninth Among Nations Worst Hit By Climate Disasters: Germanwatch Report

India ranks ninth globally among countries most impacted by climate-related disasters over the past three decades, with nearly 430 extreme weather events claiming more than 80,000 lives, according to the latest Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 released by the environmental think tank Germanwatch. The report was published on Tuesday at the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, PTI reported.

Covering the period from 1995 to 2024, the study said India’s climate disasters affected around 1.3 billion people and caused economic losses estimated at nearly USD 170 billion. It noted that the country’s exposure to repeated floods, cyclones, droughts and heatwaves has intensified with global warming.

Events such as the 1998 Gujarat cyclone, the 1999 Odisha super cyclone, the 2013 Uttarakhand floods and recent severe heatwaves were among those contributing to India’s high placement on the index, the report stated.

Germanwatch observed that India faces a “continuous threat” rather than isolated events, as frequent extreme weather has steadily eroded development gains and weakened livelihoods. The report added that India’s vast population and dependence on the monsoon make it particularly vulnerable, with millions affected each year.

In 2024 alone, heavy monsoon rains and flash floods impacted more than eight million people, particularly in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tripura, it said. Globally, floods and storms were the most damaging events last year, accounting for nearly half of all affected people and inflicting billions of dollars in losses.

Between 1995 and 2024, the world experienced more than 9,700 extreme weather events that claimed over 830,000 lives, affected nearly 5.7 billion people and caused direct economic losses of about USD 4.5 trillion, according to Germanwatch.

Dominica was ranked the most-affected country during this period, followed by Myanmar, Honduras, Libya, Haiti, Grenada, the Philippines, Nicaragua, India and the Bahamas. Developing countries, the report said, remain disproportionately impacted due to limited coping capacity and adaptation resources.

While El Niño conditions influenced global weather patterns in 2024, Germanwatch said human-induced climate change played a key role in intensifying heatwaves, storms and floods worldwide. The report cited scientific studies showing that climate change made many extreme events both more frequent and severe, including prolonged heat spells that affected billions.

The report warned that such disasters are becoming the “new normal” for many developing nations, including India, and called for urgent, well-funded adaptation measures. It noted that repeated losses strain public finances and hinder recovery, pushing vulnerable communities deeper into poverty.

Germanwatch said the findings should serve as a reminder for leaders attending COP30 to bridge the gap in climate finance and step up efforts to cut emissions and strengthen resilience. It added that the mounting economic and human costs highlight the need for countries like India to prioritise adaptation strategies, early warning systems and protection for vulnerable groups.

The think tank also acknowledged data limitations in its analysis, noting that several countries in the Global South may be underrepresented due to incomplete or inconsistent reporting.

(With inputs from PTI)