The World Risk Index (WRI) for 2020 reports that India is inadequately prepared to handle the effects of climate change, making it vulnerable to severe natural disasters. This article will delve into the findings of the WRI.
Understanding The World Risk Index
The World Risk Index is an annual report first released in 2011. It evaluates disaster risk for different nations and regions by multiplying exposure and vulnerability on a country-by-country basis. The data offers insight on which countries urgently need to reinforce measures to mitigate and adapt to extreme natural events.
The WRI forms part of the World Risk Report 2020 provided by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft, and the University of Stuttgart in Germany. According to the report, among all continents, Oceania faces the highest risk, followed by Africa and the Americas.
Oceania’s High Risk Rate
The WRI report reveals that small island states, primarily in the South Pacific and the Caribbean, are overrepresented among high-risk countries. Vanuatu, Tonga, and Dominica hold the highest disaster risk worldwide due to their high exposure to extreme natural events, including sea level rise resulting from global warming.
While these states have limited financial resources and have made minor contributions to climate change, they suffer its effects significantly. The report emphasizes the need to compensate these states for the incurred climate damage and losses, stating that only providing funds for climate change adaptation is insufficient.
Africa: A Vulnerability Hotspot
Africa emerges as a vulnerability hotspot in the report with more than two-thirds of the world’s most at-risk countries located on this continent. It warns of the potential increase in the size of Africa’s semiarid regions, where over half of the land is susceptible to desertification.
Large areas of Africa are marginalized and under substantial financial strain. The Central African Republic stands out as the most vulnerable country, with Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau following.
South Asia and India: Failing in Disaster Preparedness
In South Asia, India ranks fourth-most-at-risk after Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, standing at 89th place among 181 countries on the WRI 2020. Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives perform better than India in terms of disaster preparedness.
Interestingly, India also trails these three nations when it comes to adaptive capacities or the readiness to handle extreme events. Compared to WRI 2019, all South Asian countries have declined in their ability to adapt to the climate emergency.
Countries scoring above 52.73 are reported as ‘very poor’ in their adaptive capacities for extreme natural disasters. Unfortunately, India has also shown a decline in strengthening adaptive capacities, reflecting the inability of its systems and institutions to adjust to potential damage, seize opportunities, or respond to consequences. This concern gains significance considering India’s first-ever comprehensive climate change assessment report, which exposes the impact of the climate crisis.