India sixth most vulnerable country facing extreme weather events – Report

India has ranked as sixth most vulnerable country in the world on Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2018 released by Germanwatch (an independent Berlin-based development and environmental organisation).

About Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2018:

CRI ranks countries in terms of facing extreme weather events.

• Germanwatch compiles CRI rankings by analysing number of deaths per 100000 inhabitants, extent of financial losses and loss per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of countries.
• Economic and population data from International Monetary Fund (IMF) was taken into consideration for compiling the rankings.
• In this latest CRI, only weather related events – storms, floods and temperature extremes (heat and cold waves) – have been taken into consideration. It does not include loss of life and financial losses due to Geological incidents like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or tsunamis as they are not related to climate change and thus are not relevant in this context.

Highlights of Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2018:

India’s vulnerability of facing extreme weather events has marginally decreased this year, as it ranked at 4^th position in last year’s CRI.

• As per the report, in 2016, India lost maximum number of human lives (2119) and sustained over $21 billion worth loss of properties.
• In 2016, US suffered the maximum financial loss (over $47 billion).
• However, it is to be noted that India is not in the list of the top 10 vulnerable nations on CRI if data for long-term i.e.1997-2016 is considered. For 1996-2106, India stood at 12^th position in the list.
• A cursory look at top 10 countries on the index reveals that less developed countries have been more affected by climate change as compared to industrialised countries.

Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2018 – Top 10 Countries: