Global Climate Risk Index 2018: Who Suffers Most From Extreme Weather Events? Weather-related Loss Events in 2016 and 1997 to 2016

The Global Climate Risk Index 2018 analyses to what extent countries have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.). The most recent data available – for 2016 and from 1997 to 2016 – were taken into account. The countries affected most in 2016 were Haiti, Zimbabwe as well as Fiji. For the period from 1997 to 2016 Honduras, Haiti and Myanmar rank highest.

This year’s 13th edition of the analysis reconfirms earlier results of the Climate Risk Index: less developed countries are generally more affected than industrialised countries. Regarding future climate change, the Climate Risk Index may serve as a red flag for already existing vulnerability that may further increase in regions where extreme events will become more frequent or more severe due to climate change. While some vulnerable developing countries are frequently hit by extreme events, for others such disasters are a rare occurrence.

It remains to be seen how much progress the Fijian climate summit in Bonn will make to address these challenges: The COP23 aims to continue the development of the ‘rule-book’ needed for implementing the Paris Agreement, including the global adaptation goal and adaptation communication guidelines. A new 5-year-work plan of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage is to be adopted by the COP. It remains an open question how loss and damage should be taken up under the Paris Agreement.