The Climate Risk Index 2025 reveals alarming insights into the impact of extreme weather events on communities, highlighting Dominica as the most affected nation. Analyzing data from 1993 to 2022, it shows $4.2 trillion in damages and nearly 800,000 lives lost globally. While Europe, including Italy, faces significant challenges, nations in the Southern Hemisphere suffer disproportionately due to their limited adaptation capacity. Germanwatch calls for enhanced international support and emphasizes the urgent need for effective climate protection measures.
Where do floods, heatwaves, and storms have the most significant impact on communities? The latest Climate Risk Index reveals some surprising insights, with several EU nations making the list.
The stunning blue waters of the Atlantic hug the sandy shores of Dominica, a small Caribbean island that stands out in the Climate Risk Index compiled by the environmental organization Germanwatch. This island is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events such as storms and floods, making it the most affected country in the index.
Vera Künzel, a climate change adaptation advisor at Germanwatch and co-author of the index, points to the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria, which struck Dominica in 2017. The economic fallout was staggering, amounting to losses nearly three times the country’s GDP, a situation Künzel describes as “extreme damage that cannot be remedied quickly.”
Analyzing Three Decades of Extreme Weather
The Climate Risk Index 2025 reviews data from 1993 to 2022, revealing that extreme weather events have inflicted damages totaling approximately $4.2 trillion (adjusted for inflation). This figure parallels the current GDP of Germany, and the report highlights that almost 800,000 lives have been lost due to these weather-related catastrophes.
Europe is not immune to these extreme weather patterns. Alongside Dominica, countries like China, Honduras, Myanmar, and India are at the top of the list, with Italy, Greece, and Spain also experiencing significant impacts. Italy alone has suffered over 38,000 fatalities due to extreme heatwaves, particularly in 2003 and 2022. Künzel emphasizes the urgency for even wealthier nations to enhance their climate risk management strategies, as Europe is warming at an alarming rate.
Germany’s Position in the Global Index
Germany ranks 48th out of 171 countries, placing it in the upper quarter of the index. Künzel notes that the analysis included severe heatwaves in 2003, 2018, and 2022, as well as significant flooding events like those experienced in Ahr, which many people still remember. The Elbe floods from the early 2000s also played a crucial role in the country’s ranking, highlighting the significant impact of extreme weather in Germany.
Major nations like China and the USA are also feeling the pressure of climate-related disasters. For instance, Hurricane Ian caused an astounding $108 billion in damages in the USA in September 2022.
Disproportionate Effects on the Global South
The data indicates that nations in the Southern Hemisphere bear the brunt of extreme weather’s impacts, a dire situation exacerbated by their limited capacity to adapt. Germanwatch advocates for increased international financial support for these vulnerable countries, emphasizing that they have contributed minimally to the climate crisis despite facing its most severe consequences.
In addition to immediate support, advancing global climate protection efforts is crucial. Every fraction of a degree less in warming can significantly lessen the adverse effects. According to Germanwatch, the index serves as a vital reminder that “the climate crisis is one of the greatest security threats globally,” as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storms, heavy rainfall, floods, and heatwaves, jeopardizing lives and destabilizing nations worldwide.
As 6,000 politicians, diplomats, and scientists gather for the World Climate Conference in Bonn, Künzel urges leaders attending the Munich Security Conference to recognize the serious threat posed by climate change. “Just because climate change is denied or climate protection measures are halted, the climate crisis does not end,” she asserts.
This critical topic was covered by Deutschlandfunk on February 12, 2025, at 14:00.