Bangladesh’s Annual Disaster Losses Reach $3 Billion Due to Extreme Weather
Bangladesh faces an annual financial loss of $3 billion due to extreme weather, impacting 6.3 million people each year. The “Climate Risk Index 2025” report by Germanwatch details the global consequences of extreme weather and emphasizes the need for increased climate finance and stronger risk management strategies, with Bangladesh noted for its significant strides in disaster response effectiveness.
Bangladesh experiences an annual economic loss of approximately $3 billion due to extreme weather, affecting over 6.3 million people each year. These findings stem from the “Climate Risk Index 2025” report by Germanwatch, published on February 13. The report emphasizes the disproportionate impact of severe weather events on Global South countries over the past 30 years, revealing a total of nearly 800,000 deaths globally from over 9,400 extreme weather incidents between 1993 and 2022.
Among the hardest-hit nations are Dominica, China, and Honduras, with Bangladesh ranking 31st due to its vulnerability to floods, storms, and heatwaves. The Climate Risk Index evaluates the effects of extreme weather on countries, assessing the economic and humanitarian toll, including injuries and homelessness. Additionally, a significant heatwave in early 2022, peaking at 49.5°C in Nawabshah, Pakistan, contributed to over 90 deaths across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh due to its compounded effect with subsequent flooding.
Even though Bangladesh remains highly susceptible to climate change, it has made notable progress in reducing disaster-related fatalities through proactive climate adaptation and risk management strategies. The report cites Bangladesh as a model for effective disaster risk management; cyclone-related deaths have decreased dramatically—falling from 500,000 in the 1970 cyclone to just 4,234 in 2007.
The report also highlights that countries like China, India, and the Philippines continue to face ongoing extreme weather challenges, while Dominica, Honduras, Myanmar, and Vanuatu are particularly afflicted by exceptional weather extremes. Italy, Spain, and Greece have emerged as the top three most affected nations worldwide over the past three decades.
Laura Schaefer, Head of International Climate Policy at Germanwatch, cautions that the climate crisis is evolving into a global security threat, necessitating decisive action on a multilateral scale. The report underscores an urgent need for enhanced climate finance for vulnerable nations to combat the escalating crisis.
David Eckstein, a senior advisor for Climate Finance at Germanwatch, warns that a lack of effective climate action has dire implications, even for affluent nations. With losses amounting to $4.2 trillion over 30 years—equivalent to Germany’s entire GDP—the report warns that failure to mitigate climate change will lead to even higher humanitarian and economic costs.
Key discussions at the forthcoming Brazil Climate Summit must focus on addressing insufficient climate finance for vulnerable regions. Lina Adil, a Policy Advisor for Adaptation and Loss & Damage at Germanwatch, stresses that limited resources intensify challenges in affected countries, advocating for enhanced mitigation efforts to meet the 1.5°C warming target.
The Climate Risk Index indicates that some extreme weather episodes can result in economic losses surpassing an entire country’s GDP. Vera Kuenzel, senior advisor for Adaptation and Human Rights at Germanwatch, advocates for stronger climate risk management and increased support for the most vulnerable nations to mitigate both human suffering and economic repercussions.
The Climate Risk Index 2025 underscores the severe impact of extreme weather on Bangladesh, illustrating a $3 billion annual loss and highlighting the vulnerability of over 6.3 million people. It emphasizes the importance of enhanced climate finance and better global cooperation to address this ongoing threat. Bangladesh serves as a case study in effective disaster risk management, yet calls for significant improvements in global efforts to adapt to climate change remain urgent.
Original Source: www.tbsnews.net
