Source: IE
Context:
The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026, released by Germanwatch at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, assesses global human and economic losses from extreme weather events (EWEs) over 1995–2024. The report highlights deepening climate vulnerabilities, especially in the Global South.
About the Climate Risk Index (CRI)
- Published annually by Germanwatch since 2006.
- Measures the impact of rapid-onset climate disasters such as floods, cyclones, heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
- Six key indicators: fatalities, deaths per 1,00,000 population, economic losses in USD, losses as a % of GDP, number of events, and population affected.
- Data Sources: EM-DAT International Disaster Database, World Bank, IMF.
Key Findings of the CRI 2026 Report
- Top 10 most affected countries are all in the Global South, with Dominica, Myanmar, Honduras, Haiti, and Libya showing severe vulnerability.
- Between 1995–2024, the world recorded 9,700 EWEs, causing 832,000 deaths and USD 4.5 trillion in economic losses.
- Cyclone Nargis (Myanmar, 2008) alone killed approximately 1.4 lakh people.
- India ranks 9th globally in long-term climate impact, underscoring persistent exposure.
India’s Vulnerability According to CRI 2026
- India recorded 430 EWEs over 30 years, leading to:
- – 80,000+ deaths
- – USD 170 billion economic losses
- – 1 billion people affected
- India ranked 3rd globally in 2024 for the number of people affected by climate disasters (after Bangladesh and the Philippines).
- India’s monsoon alone impacted 8 million people in 2024.
- Long-term ranking remains high due to repeated disasters, slow recovery cycles, and high population exposure.
Nature of Disasters Affecting India
- Floods were the world’s deadliest disasters in 2024, affecting ~50 million people.
- Heatwaves impacted ~33 million; droughts ~29 million worldwide.
- CRI covers only rapid-onset events, excluding slow-onset changes like sea-level rise, rising temperatures, desertification, or ocean acidification.
Impacts of Climate Change on India
- Water Crisis
- Himalayan glacier melt threatens major river systems (Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus).
- Groundwater extraction has surged to 240–260 km³, with Gangetic aquifers falling 4 cm/year.
- Widespread arsenic contamination due to over-pumping; India ranks 120/122 in global water quality.
- Mountain Ecosystem Stress
- Higher frequency of GLOFs, cloudbursts, forest fires (e.g., 2023 Sikkim GLOF).
- Black carbon from vehicles accelerates Himalayan ice loss.
- Threats to biodiversity in the Himalayas, one of India’s four biodiversity hotspots.
- Coastal Risks
- Sea levels rising globally by 3.6 mm/year; Mumbai witnessed a 4.44 cm rise (1987–2021).
- Projected sea-level rise of 0.4–0.8 m by 2100 threatens major coastal cities.
- Seawater intrusion affects 250 million coastal residents.
- Loss of mangroves and coral reefs weakening natural climate buffers.
- Socio-Economic Costs
- Climate change could cut India’s GDP by 6.4–10% by 2100 and push 50 million people into poverty.
- Erratic rainfall and water shortages are reducing agricultural productivity.
- Rising heat stress increases disease burden, especially in dense urban slums.
What India Should Do: Key Recommendations
- Climate Mitigation
- Align with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C through rapid emissions cuts.
- Mobilise USD 300 billion by 2035 for climate adaptation and mitigation.
- Scale up solar, wind, and green hydrogen to achieve 500+ GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
- Water Security
- Update the National Water Policy (2012) for sustainable groundwater and river basin management.
- Promote micro-irrigation, zero tillage, water budgeting, and climate-resilient crops.
- Restore traditional water systems and expand artificial recharge structures (pits, trenches, shafts).
- Coastal Resilience
- Restore and expand mangrove forests, coral reefs, and sand dunes.
- Strengthen early-warning systems for cyclones and storm surges.
- Create social safety nets for climate-vulnerable coastal communities.
- Urban and Energy Transition
- Promote green buildings, cool roofs, permeable pavements, and urban forests.
- Expand battery storage, electric mobility, and carbon-neutral industrial processes.
- Governance and Community Action
- Integrate climate adaptation into all development plans.
- Strengthen community-led resource management models like Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari.
- Invest in R&D for carbon capture, climate-resilient crops, and clean technologies.
