India Ranks 9th in Global Climate Risk Index 2025, Shows Improved Resilience

India has made notable progress in climate resilience, as reflected in the 2025 Global Climate Risk Index published by Germanwatch. Despite being recurrently afflicted by extreme weather events, India improved its ranking, reflecting the country's enhanced disaster preparedness and climate adaptation capabilities. This development marks India's growing emphasis on proactive management of climate risks while raising the need for continued investment in sustainable infrastructure and policies.

What is the Global Climate Risk Index?

This annual report by Germanwatch assesses which countries have been affected by weather-related loss events such as storms, floods, and heatwaves the most. The index measures impacts in terms of fatalities and economic losses over both short-term (annual) and long-term (decades) periods. A lower numerical rank indicates lesser risk or better management of the climate challenges.

India’s Improved Rankings in CRI 2025

• India ranked 9th globally in the long-term climate risk index of 1995-2024, up from ranking 8th last year.

• It improved to 15th from 10th place in the 2024 annual index.

• These rankings are based on data representing over 80,000 fatalities and economic losses amounting to approximately USD 170 billion due to 430 extreme weather events in the past 30 years.

• The improvement indicates the improved disaster preparedness of India, better early warnings, and thus the successful implementation of climate adaptation policies.

Major Climatic Disasters Affecting India

India has experienced a number of significant climate-induced disasters that have defined its risk landscape:

• Cyclone Hudhud, 2014, and Cyclone Amphan, 2020, have caused large-scale damages.

• The Uttarakhand Floods of 2013 had caused unprecedented loss in human and economic costs.

• Deadly heatwaves in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015, posing serious health and agricultural risks.

• These specific instances highlight the importance of sound climate risk management and resilient infrastructure.

Government Initiatives to Enhance Climate Resilience in India

This improvement in India is partly credited to proactive government efforts such as:

• The National Action Plan on Climate Change, which focuses on sustainable development and mitigation of climate change.

• The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, or CDRI, is an international coalition headquartered in India for making infrastructure resilient to climate-related disasters.

• Increased emphasis on early warning systems, emergency response, and recovery mechanisms.

• These frameworks combine to enhance the ability of India to reduce vulnerability and manage disaster impacts effectively.

Global Context: Countries Most Affected by Climate Events

According to the report, nearly 40% of the world's population lives in the 11 countries most hit by the climate-related disasters. This includes India and China.

• Long-term climate risk is highest for Dominica, Myanmar, and Honduras.

• The top 2024 annual impacts belonged to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Chad.

• Other industrialized nations in the top 30 include the US, France, and Italy, indicating that no economy is immune from climate risks.

Challenges and the Road Ahead for India

While the ranking represents positive movement for India, it still faces many climate-related challenges: 

• Repetitive climate shocks hinder recovery and sustainable development in vulnerable regions. Economic losses due to climate events are still huge, requiring heightened investment in adaptation.

• Increased urgency in realizing green infrastructure, mitigating carbon emissions, and protecting vulnerable communities is called for to cope well with future risks. 

• Sustained efforts and international cooperation are needed, say experts, to reinforce the climate resilience trajectory in India.

This improved ranking by India in the Global Climate Risk Index 2025 testifies to progress made in climate risk management and resilience building. India's journey has been one of considerable accomplishment, but a continuing need for vigilance, innovation, and investment in sustainable climate solutions. This experience provides a good example for balancing development with environmental responsibility in an era of accelerating global climate change.