Global Climate Risk Index 2020

The Global Climate Risk Index 2020 analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.). The most recent data available — for 2018 and from 1999 to 2018 — were taken into account.

The countries and territories affected most in 2018 were Japan, the Philippines as well as Germany. For the period from 1999 to 2018 Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti rank highest.

This year's 15th 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. But the 2018 heatwaves and droughts also proved: High income countries feel climate impacts more clearly than ever before. Effective climate change mitigation is therefore in the self-interest of all countries worldwide.

This year’s climate summit in Madrid needs to address the lack of additional climate finance to help the poorest people and countries to address Loss&Damage. They are hit hardest by climate change impacts because they are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of a hazard but have lower coping capacity. The climate summit needs to result in

1. a decision on how the need for support for vulnerable countries concerning future loss and damage is to be determined on an ongoing basis and
2. the necessary steps to generate and make available financial resources to meet these needs.
3. strengthening the implementation of measures for adapting to climate change.