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In 2024, the climate-risk hotspots remain concentrated in the continents of Asia, North America and South America, according to the findings of a recent report. Out of the 10 countries battling gravest environmental risks, eight are situated on these three continents.
These 10 countries are — the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Colombia, Mexico, Myanmar, Mozambique, Russia, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Out of these 10, only Russia and Mozambique are situated in Europe and Africa respectively.
The report titled The World Risk Report 2024 - Focus: Multiple Crises was published by Germany-based Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft on September 9, 2024. The Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum (IFHV), also collaborated for the report.
The study assessed the risks pertaining to natural disasters and conflict for 193 countries and covered over 99 per cent of the world’s eight-billion strong population.
Being an annual assessment, this year’s study was dedicated to addressing multiple crises with a focus on disaster risk management.
The report highlighted how climate change, geopolitical conflicts and health crises are inextricably linked and showed the far-reaching consequences these crises have for global security and development.
According to the report, the above mentioned countries have very complex risk profiles due to the combination of diverse exposures and high intensities, as well as higher vulnerabilities.
A country’s score is measured based on its exposure to disasters as well as its unique vulnerability to the effects of these disasters.
In terms of risks, the Philippines topped the chart with a score of 46.91 while China with a score of 64.59 was at the top of the list that calculated exposure to these disasters. Also, in terms of vulnerability, the Central African Republic which is at the centre of the ongoing mpox outbreak, had a score of 73.86 and topped that list.
As climate change heightens the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, these global hotspots are expected to shift, affecting vulnerable societies in Africa in particular.
A significant shift in global risk hotspots can therefore be expected in the long term, the report stated.
Meanwhile, the cases of Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo show that deterioration in the dimension of vulnerability does not necessarily lead to significantly higher overall risk scores due to their very low exposure.
According to the report, in overall terms, the Central African Republic’s score in the World Risk Index is 107, followed by Chad (121), South Sudan (95) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (56).
In recent years, the World Risk index has shown that global disaster risks are not merely heterogeneously distributed but are also closely linked to poverty and inequality.
In addition to poverty, governance issues, limited access to basic services, violent conflicts and high dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as small-scale agriculture, livestock farming and fisheries contribute to the vulnerability of these countries.
The risk profile of many countries is not only characterised by extreme weather events, but also increasingly by ongoing conflicts. Particularly affected are the regions in Central and North Africa, Central and South America and South Asia, where conflicts further exacerbate the already high risk values.
The report calls for new strategies in crisis prevention and risk management.