India’s Improved Ranking
India’s Rising Resilience Reflected in Global Climate Risk Index 2025: India has shown significant improvement in the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2025, marking a step forward in its fight against climate vulnerability. Released by Germanwatch at COP30 in Belem, Brazil, the report highlights that India’s rank improved to 15th in the 2024 annual index, compared to 10th last year. In the long-term index (1995–2024), India moved from 8th to 9th position. A lower rank represents reduced climate risk and stronger resilience, signaling enhanced preparedness against natural calamities.
Static GK fact: The CRI is published annually by Germanwatch, a Berlin-based environmental think tank established in 1991.
Key Findings and Data
India remains among the world’s most climate-affected countries, having witnessed over 430 extreme weather events since 1995. These events have caused more than 80,000 fatalities and economic losses nearing USD 170 billion. Cyclones like Hudhud (2014) and Amphan (2020), the Uttarakhand floods (2013), and recurring heatwaves in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2015 have been major contributors.
However, the improved ranking in 2025 reflects India’s increased resilience due to:
- Enhanced early warning systems
- Strengthened disaster management frameworks
- Implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
- Leadership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
Static GK Tip: The CDRI was launched by India in 2019 to promote infrastructure capable of withstanding climate-induced shocks.
Global Context of Climate Disasters
Globally, the CRI 2025 reported over 9,700 extreme weather events between 1995 and 2024, causing 832,000 deaths and USD 4.5 trillion in losses. The nations most impacted in the long-term include Dominica, Myanmar, and Honduras. In 2024, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Chad topped the list.
Nearly 3 billion people, or 40% of the world’s population, live in countries most affected by extreme weather — a majority being developing nations like India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.
Policy Measures Strengthening India’s Climate Response
India’s policy response is anchored in both national and state-level climate missions.
- NAPCC: Encompasses eight missions targeting solar energy, sustainable agriculture, and ecological conservation.
- State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs): Tailored strategies for state-specific climate challenges.
- Climate-smart agriculture, urban heatwave preparedness, and flood forecasting systems are being scaled up nationwide.
Static GK fact: The NAPCC was launched in 2008 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The Road Ahead
India’s progress in the CRI 2025 is a sign of growing resilience, yet challenges persist. Experts emphasize the need for continued investment in green infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and climate finance mobilization. Strengthening community-based adaptation in flood-prone, coastal, and arid zones remains a key national priority.
India’s improved rank is not just an indicator of progress—it’s a message of determination toward achieving a climate-resilient future.
Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table
India’s Rising Resilience Reflected in Global Climate Risk Index 2025:
| Topic | Detail |
| Report Name | Global Climate Risk Index 2025 |
| Released By | Germanwatch, Germany |
| Released At | UN Climate Summit COP30, Belem, Brazil |
| India’s 2024 Rank | 15th |
| India’s Long-term Rank (1995–2024) | 9th |
| Key Policies | NAPCC, SAPCC, CDRI |
| Deaths Due to Extreme Events | Over 80,000 |
| Economic Loss | Nearly USD 170 billion |
| Global Extreme Weather Events (1995–2024) | Over 9,700 |
| Most Affected Countries (2024) | St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Chad |
