India has been ranked ninth worldwide among the countries most affected by extreme weather events in the past three decades, according to the latest Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 released by the environmental think tank Germanwatch. The ranking, based on data from 1995 to 2024, highlights how intensifying heat waves, floods, droughts, and cyclones are imposing rising human and economic costs across India.
The index, released on Wednesday, evaluates nations based on fatalities, financial losses, and the number of extreme weather events recorded over the period. The findings paint a stark picture: India remains one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, despite ongoing efforts to strengthen disaster response and promote renewable energy.
The report underscores that climate change is no longer a distant threat – it is already destabilising lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. According to Germanwatch, extreme weather events are striking with increasing frequency and intensity, and developing nations are bearing the brunt of their fallout.
Among World’s Most Climate-Vulnerable Nations
India’s ninth-place ranking reflects a steady increase in both the frequency and impact of extreme weather events over the last three decades. The country has faced around 430 major weather disasters between 1995 and 2024, resulting in more than 80,000 deaths and an estimated US$170 billion in losses when adjusted for inflation.
Floods have affected the largest number of people, displacing millions every year, while cyclones along the eastern coast and prolonged heat waves across northern and central India have worsened public health and food security. In recent years, events like Cyclone Amphan, Cyclone Tauktae, and the 2024 North India heatwave have pushed already vulnerable communities to the brink.
The CRI 2026 notes that India’s rank has fluctuated over the years – partly because the index measures immediate impacts rather than long-term vulnerability – but the broader trend is unmistakable. Extreme events have become more frequent, more intense, and more economically destructive.
Germanwatch emphasises that the ranking serves as a “warning signal” rather than a prediction of future impacts. The report’s authors argue that while mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions remains vital, countries like India must now prioritise adaptation and resilience to limit further harm.
Rising Toll of Disasters Underscores Adaptation Challenge
The global report recorded over 9,700 extreme weather events worldwide from 1995 to 2024, causing 832,000 deaths and economic losses of nearly US$4.5 trillion. India alone accounted for a significant share of both the fatalities and the economic damage.
Heat waves, once rare and short-lived, have now become a recurring health emergency in India. Cities such as Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow have witnessed record-breaking temperatures above 47°C, leading to spikes in mortality and hospital admissions. In 2024, over 700 heat-related deaths were reported nationwide, according to government estimates.
At the same time, unseasonal rains and floods have repeatedly destroyed crops, threatening food security and rural livelihoods. In states like Assam, Bihar, and Kerala, annual floods have become a grim routine. The economic losses extend far beyond infrastructure damage – affecting education, employment, and healthcare access.
“India’s experience shows how climate risks cut across sectors,” the report said. “The poorest are often the most exposed, yet they have the fewest resources to recover.” Germanwatch urged India to strengthen its climate adaptation frameworks, integrate local knowledge in disaster management, and improve early warning systems.
Global Findings Show Uneven Burden of Climate Impacts
The CRI 2026 highlights deep inequality in how climate impacts are distributed. Many of the top ten most-affected nations are from the Global South, including Pakistan, the Philippines, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Haiti. Collectively, they represent regions with limited adaptive capacity, fragile economies, and high population densities in disaster-prone areas.
The report warns that climate change is amplifying inequalities within and between countries. Wealthier nations, though responsible for the majority of historical emissions, often have stronger infrastructure and social protection systems that cushion the blow of extreme events.
Conversely, poorer countries face compounded risks – rapid urbanisation, informal settlements in flood zones, and reliance on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as agriculture. “Without robust support for adaptation, the gap between those who can withstand climate shocks and those who cannot will continue to widen,” Germanwatch noted.
The report also draws attention to the slow pace of international climate finance. Developed nations have yet to fulfil their pledge of providing US$100 billion annually to support adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. The Loss and Damage Fund, established at COP28, remains underfunded and lacks a clear framework for disbursing aid to countries facing irreversible climate impacts.
Urgent Need for Resilience and International Climate Finance
For India, the findings carry both a warning and an opportunity. The country’s rapid economic growth and massive population make it uniquely exposed to extreme weather disruptions, but they also provide the capacity to innovate and adapt.
Experts say India must invest more in climate-resilient infrastructure, expand green cover, and improve data-driven disaster forecasting. The government’s initiatives – such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and State Climate Action Plans – are steps in the right direction, but implementation remains uneven.
Germanwatch’s report urges India and other developing nations to press for stronger global mechanisms at the COP30 climate summit. “The Climate Risk Index shows that the world is not on track to protect people from climate extremes,” it stated. “We need fair, predictable, and accessible finance for adaptation, and we need it now.”
The ranking may not predict the future, but the message is clear: the era of extreme weather has arrived, and India’s ability to adapt will determine how much it loses in the decades to come.
(Credit: owsa.in)