India recorded over 400 extreme weather events between 1993 and 2022, leading to nearly USD 180 billion in inflation-adjusted losses and at least 80,000 fatalities, according to the Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2025 released by Germanwatch. The index, which ranks countries based on the economic and human toll of extreme weather, placed India among the top ten nations most affected during the 30-year period.
The CRI used data from sources such as the EM-DAT international disaster database, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It analyzed 9,400 extreme weather events that resulted in over 7.65 lakh deaths globally and direct losses of USD 4.2 trillion. Dominica, China, and Honduras were the most affected, followed by Myanmar, Italy, India, Greece, Spain, Vanuatu, and the Philippines.
In India, the primary impact came from recurring floods, heatwaves, and cyclones, which displaced millions and devastated agriculture. Notable disasters included the 1998 Gujarat and 1999 Odisha cyclones, the Uttarakhand floods of 2013, and Cyclones Hudhud and Amphan in 2014 and 2020. Devastating floods in 1993, 1998, 2013, and 2019, as well as severe heatwaves in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015, were also highlighted.
The report emphasized that countries in the Global South are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events. Laura Schaefer, Head of Division for International Climate Policy at Germanwatch, noted that data gaps in these regions mean the full extent of economic and human losses may be underreported.
The authors stressed the need for greater adaptation finance for vulnerable countries. Last year’s UN Climate Summit (COP29) failed to produce an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance. The report warned that the proposed USD 300 billion annually by 2035 was insufficient to tackle the climate crisis, especially without measures for loss and damage.
The next climate summit in Brazil is expected to address the lack of additional climate finance for vulnerable nations. Co-author Lina Adil, Policy Advisor for Adaptation and Loss & Damage at Germanwatch, said supporting the most affected countries is crucial for improving their adaptive capacities and addressing climate-related losses.
Scientists generally agree that human-induced climate change is intensifying extreme weather events. As the frequency and scale of such events increase, the impacts on nations in the Global South may be more severe than current reports suggest.