Climate Change Costs and Impact
The extensive inaction on climate change carries significant costs, affecting billions globally.
Global Impact
- In the past three decades, extreme weather events have impacted over 3 billion people, accounting for approximately 40% of the global population.
- These events occurred across 11 countries, including India, involving heat waves, storms, and floods.
Climate Risk Index 2026
- Prepared by the Berlin-based organization Germanwatch, the index covers a period from 1995 to 2024.
- Records show 9,300 extreme weather events with 830,000 fatalities and $4.5 trillion in direct damages (adjusted for inflation).
- Countries most affected include Dominica, Myanmar, and Honduras.
India's Situation
- India ranked ninth on the Climate Risk Index.
- In 30 years, India experienced nearly 430 extreme weather events.
- This affected 1.3 billion people, caused 80,000 fatalities, and led to economic losses approximating $170 billion.
Challenges and Observations
- Countries like Haiti, the Philippines, and India face frequent weather-related challenges.
- These nations experience severe events so regularly that recovery is barely possible before the next incident.
- None of the 10 most-affected nations are part of the high-income group.
Conclusions
- The 2026 index highlights the urgent need to intensify efforts to close the emission gap.