Global Climate Risk Index 2021: Key findings, India's rank and other details

Why in News?

Germanwatch located in Bonn, Germany has released the global climate risk index 2021. India has been ranked among the worst-hit countries by climate change. Read all the details about the index here

Global Climate Risk Index 2021: Key Points 

The Index was published on January 25, 2021. It was published a few minutes before the Global Climate Adaptation Summit started. It pushed for the need to support developing countries in coping with the effects of climate change.

1. As per the index, India has been ranked 7th Global Climate Risk Report Index 2021. 
2. The index informs about the storms, droughts, heatwaves, floods etc.
3. The data of 2019-20 has been used in this index
4. Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the Bahamas in 2019 faced various weather and climate challenges and have been included in the worse hot locations lists
5. The hurricane Dorian caused ravaging damage to the Bahamas
6. Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi had been affected by a single extreme weather event of cyclone Idai. 
7. 11.8 million people around the globe were affected by intense monsoon with the economic damage estimated to be $10 billion.
8. The index also includes Japan, Malawi and Afghanistan 
9. Peurto Rico, Myanmar, and Haiti in 2000-19 were the worse hit states due to climate change.
10. As per the report, between 2000-19, 4,75000 people were affected by more than 11000 climate change resulting conditions.

India: As per the Report

1. In 2019, the monsoon lasted longer than a month in India, as it normally lasts.
2. From June to September end 2019 almost 110% of the long-period average was recorded. 
3. Heavy rains caused floods which were responsible for 1,800 deaths across 14 states. It led to the displacement of 1.8 million population.
4. There were eight tropical cyclones in India in the last years. Six of those were classified as “very severe” due to intensity. 
5. ‘Extremely severe’ cyclone Fani affected 28 million people across the subcontinent and killed almost 90 people in India and Bangladesh.
6. It also caused economic loss to the tune of US $8.1 billion.
7. The floods affected 14 states of India in June 2019. It lasted from June to September 2019. 
8. The glaciers of India, the Himalayas, the coastlines and the desert areas in India have been all most affected due to global warming. 
9. As per the report, there has also been an increase in the heat waves, melting of glaciers and intensity of cyclones in India. 

About Global Climate Risk Index

The Global Climate Risk Index, CRI is tasked to analyse quantified impacts of extreme weather situations, in terms of the fatalities and economic losses, both. This index is based on data received from Munich Re’s NatCatSERVICE.

The Indian population is majorly dependent on agriculture. It has also been severely affected by the impact of climate change.

A national adaptation plan was designed in 2008 which was followed by State action plans. Most of the plans lack resources so that they are integrated into district development and disaster risk reduction plan.

Various government commissions in India’s State and district-specific climate-risk maps to further dis-aggregate this information to understand which areas need more attention than others.

Play and Solve Static GK Current events quiz here