Why in the news?

  • The Climate Risk Index 2026 ranked India among the top 10 worst hit countries from 1995-2024.

Climate Risk Index 2026 (CRI 2026)

  • What is it?:
    • The CRI is an annual index published by Germanwatch since 2006 that ranks countries by the human and economic impacts of extreme weather events.
    • It is “backward-looking”, meaning it analyses realised climate risks (not future projections).
    • It examines data over two time-frames- The previous calendar year, and The long-term period- typically 30 years to show trends.
  • Key Facts and Figures of CRI 2026:
    • CRI 2026 reveals that between 1995-2024 more than 832,000 people lost their lives due to extreme weather events globally.
    • Economic losses exceeded USD 4.5 trillion (inflation-adjusted) over the same period.
    • Over 9,700 extreme weather events were documented globally in that period.
    • For the long-term period 1995-2024, the top ten most-affected countries are all in the Global South.
  • CRI 2026 About India:
    • India is ranked 9th among countries most affected by extreme weather in the long-term period (1995-2024).
    • Nearly 430 extreme weather events in the 30-year period were reported.
    • Economic losses of about USD 170 billion (~₹ 14-15 lakh crore depending on exchange and inflation) in that period.
    • Over 1.3 billion people were affected and 80,000+ fatalities in India in those three decades.
    • The report labels India as facing “continuous climate threats” where frequent extreme events allow little time for recovery.
  • Significance of the Report:
    • Highlights Climate Impacts
      • By quantifying fatalities, people affected, and economic losses, CRI provides concrete measurements of climate impacts.
      • Demonstrates that vulnerable countries bear disproportionate burdens of realised climate risk.
    • Policy Relevance:
      • Provides evidence for the need of adaptation finance, loss & damage mechanisms, and resilience building especially in vulnerable nations.
      • Strengthens the case for frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the global stocktake process (under Article 14) to include impact-based metrics, not just emission metrics.