Home / Environment / Climate Disasters Claim Over 832,000 Lives Worldwide Since 1995
Climate Disasters Claim Over 832,000 Lives Worldwide Since 1995
13 Nov
Summary
- Climate disasters killed over 832,000 people from 1995 to 2024
- Pakistan ranked 15th among most impacted countries by climate change
- Floods, storms, heatwaves, and drought caused the most fatalities and economic losses
According to the Climate Risk Index 2026 published on November 13th, 2025, extreme climate events have had a devastating impact worldwide over the past 30 years. The report reveals that from 1995 to 2024, more than 832,000 people died, and direct economic losses exceeded $4.5 trillion (inflation-adjusted) due to over 9,700 extreme weather events.
The index, compiled by the international NGO Germanwatch, shows that the Global South countries were disproportionately affected, with none of the 10 most impacted nations being from the high-income group. Pakistan is ranked 15th on the list of countries most affected by climate change, while Afghanistan is 19th and China is 11th.
The report states that heatwaves and storms caused the most fatalities, each accounting for 33% of the deaths, while floods affected the largest number of people, at 48%. Storms were responsible for the greatest economic losses, totaling $2.64 trillion (inflation-adjusted), or 58% of the total.
The findings align with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, which concluded that vulnerable communities who have contributed the least to climate change are being disproportionately impacted.
