India has secured the ninth position among countries most severely impacted by climate-related disasters over the past three decades, according to the latest Climate Risk Index report released during the COP30 conference. The findings reveal staggering human and economic costs that underscore the nation's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
India's Climate Vulnerability Exposed
The report from Germanwatch, a Bonn-based non-governmental organization, shows India has experienced 430 extreme weather events between 1995 and 2024, including devastating droughts, cyclones, heatwaves, and floods. These disasters have resulted in approximately 80,000 fatalities and economic losses totaling $170 billion.
India's ranking represents a slight improvement from its previous position, moving up one spot in the global assessment. However, the data paints a concerning picture of the country's ongoing climate challenges.
Global Context and Human Cost
Globally, the Climate Risk Index report documents 832,000 lives lost to extreme weather events during the same 30-year period. India's death toll accounts for nearly 9.6% of worldwide fatalities, highlighting the disproportionate impact on the South Asian nation.
The report specifically mentions several catastrophic events that have shaped India's climate vulnerability profile. "Notable events with high fatalities and/or economic losses include the 1998 Gujarat and 1999 Odisha cyclones, cyclones Hudhud and Amphan in 2014 and 2020, the 1993 floods in Northern India, the Uttarakhand floods in 2013 and severe floods in 2019," the document states.
Recurring heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius have also claimed numerous lives, particularly during 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015.
Disproportionate Impact on Developing Nations
The Climate Risk Index reveals a stark disparity between developed and developing nations in terms of climate vulnerability. In 2024, eight of the ten most affected countries fell into the low-income and lower-middle-income categories.
Between 1995 and 2024, six of the ten nations most impacted by climate disasters were from the lower-middle-income group, which includes India. Significantly, none of the ten most affected countries over this 30-year period were high-income nations, with only one making the list for 2024.
India's Climate Resilience Initiatives
In response to growing climate threats, India has launched several significant initiatives to build disaster-resilient infrastructure. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), established in 2019 through Indian initiative, represents a major international partnership.
This organization brings together national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, private sector entities, and knowledge institutions to promote infrastructure resilience against climate and disaster risks.
According to CDRI estimates, every dollar invested in making infrastructure more resilient in low- and middle-income countries can potentially save losses exceeding $4 when disasters strike.
Among CDRI's flagship programs is the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in 2021. This initiative specifically addresses the threats faced by small island nations, which are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Additionally, the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF) was announced by CDRI at COP27 in 2022, established with support from UNDP and UNDRR to bolster disaster resilience of infrastructure systems in developing countries.
WMO's Climate Update Adds Urgency
Complementing the CRI findings, the World Meteorological Organization released its State of the Global Climate Update during the COP30 Leaders' Summit in Belem, Brazil. The report indicates that 2025 is likely to rank among the top three warmest years ever recorded.
Between January and August 2025, near-surface temperatures registered 1.42 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, continuing the alarming warming trend. The WMO also confirmed that concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and ocean heat content maintained their upward trajectory in 2025.
The period from 2015 to 2025 is projected to include the eleven warmest years in the 176-year observational record, emphasizing the accelerating pace of climate change.
Human-induced climate change is intensifying extreme weather events worldwide. While natural phenomena like El Niño influenced many extreme events in early 2024, scientists confirmed that climate change exacerbated their severity. In 2024 alone, human-caused climate change contributed 41 additional days of dangerous heat, particularly affecting vulnerable populations.
