India 9th among countries worst hit by climate disasters in last 30 yrs: Report, Pg9.

Key Highlights:

• India ranked 9th among countries worst-hit by climate disasters in the last 30 years.
• Between 1995 and 2024, extreme weather events caused 8.32 lakh deaths globally, with India recording 80,000 fatalities.
• India experienced 430 extreme weather events in the past three decades, resulting in losses worth 170 billion USD.
• The Climate Risk Index (CRI) report was released by Germanwatch at the COP30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil.

Detailed Insights:

• India's rank improved from 10th to 15th in the list of countries worst affected by disasters in the previous year, indicating increased climate resilience.
• The report analyzed historical climate data to assess the impact of extreme weather events.
• India has faced diverse climate risks, including floods, heat waves, cyclones, and droughts, leading to displacement, agricultural damage, and coastal devastation.
• Notable events include the Gujarat (1998) and Odisha (1999) cyclones, cyclones Hudhud and Amphan (2014, 2020), and floods in Northern India (1993) and Uttarakhand (2013, 2019).
• Recurring heat waves with temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015 caused significant fatalities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Climate Risk Index (CRI): An index that indicates a country's exposure and vulnerability to extreme weather events.
• Extreme Weather Events: Unusually severe or unseasonal weather phenomena, such as cyclones, droughts, and heatwaves.
• Climate Resilience: The capacity of social, economic, and ecosystems to cope with hazardous events and trends.