India Among Top 10 Countries Most Affected by Extreme Weather Events

India ranks sixth among the top ten countries most impacted by extreme weather events, with over 400 incidents from 1993 to 2023 resulting in $180 billion in losses and 80,000 fatalities. Key events include severe floods and heatwaves. The global context indicates vast economic losses and fatalities due to climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for increased financial support for vulnerable nations.

According to a recent report, India ranks sixth among the top ten countries most significantly impacted by extreme weather events from 1993 to 2023. The country has endured catastrophic floods in 1993, 1998, and 2013 and extreme heatwaves in 2002, 2003, and 2015. Over 400 extreme events have occurred, leading to economic losses amounting to $180 billion and at least 80,000 fatalities, as detailed by the Climate Risk Index (CRI) released by Germanwatch.

Notable extreme events in India include the Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the Odisha cyclone in 1999, and severe flooding in North India in 1993 and Uttarakhand in 2013. India has also faced unprecedented heatwaves, with temperatures soaring around 50°C during 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015, contributing to high mortality rates. The report highlights that countries like China and the Philippines also experienced recurrent extreme events.

Globally, extreme weather events have caused over 765,000 fatalities and economic damages surpassing $4.2 trillion, equivalent to Germany’s entire GDP. Fatalities from these events have been highest due to storms, followed by heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires over the last three decades. In 2022, the most affected countries included Pakistan, Belize, and Italy, followed by Greece, Spain, and Puerto Rico.

The 2022 heatwave was particularly deadly, with Italy, Greece, and Spain reporting significant casualties. Furthermore, the report reveals that five of the ten most affected countries from 1993 to 2022 were classified as lower middle-income nations, indicating a correlation between economic status and vulnerability to climate impacts. Only two of the ten most affected countries in 2022 were from the lower middle-income group.

The report emphasizes the necessity for enhanced financial support for vulnerable nations. “Most vulnerable countries are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change partly due to their limited financial and technical capabilities to adapt and manage losses and damages. Simultaneously, to prevent further loss and damage, countries urgently need to ramp up their mitigation action with new nationally determined contributions to stay below or as close as possible to 1.5°C warming,” said Lina Adil, Policy Advisor at Germanwatch.

In summary, the report indicates that India is significantly affected by extreme weather events, ranking sixth globally over the past three decades. This has resulted in substantial economic losses and a high number of fatalities. The necessity for financial aid and increased climate action is underscored, particularly for vulnerable nations that lack resources to manage climate-related challenges effectively.

Original Source: www.downtoearth.org.in