American President Donald Trump tweeted once that he “does not believe global warming is happening,” and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stated that it was “just an excuse to meddle with Brazil’s sovereignty.” But the Climate Risk Index 2025, published by Germanwatch, shows that between 1993 and 2022, over 750,000 people lost their lives due to extreme weather events, causing economic losses of over 4 billion dollars. This insightful report analyzes the impact of extreme weather on different countries, measuring both human casualties and economic losses. In the present article, I shall highlight the most important conclusions stated.

Where climate disasters hit hardest

Throughout the 30 years studied, the most affected countries include several in the Caribbean, where recurrent hurricanes and tropical storms cause widespread devastation. This is the case of Dominica or Honduras, whose economy and infrastructure are greatly affected by the large-scale destruction caused by these natural events. But not only small tropical countries face their effects. China, a global giant, also ranks among the three most affected countries, alongside smaller tropical nations. In the Asian country, floods, typhoons, and droughts have affected tens of millions of people.

In recent years, three major European countries—Italy, Greece, and Spain—have entered the top five most affected by extreme weather. They have faced severe heat waves, droughts, and wildfires, causing thousands of deaths. More recently, catastrophic flooding, like the late 2024 disaster in Valencia that killed over 200 people in hours, has further highlighted their vulnerability. In addition, even more countries in Europe are seeing increasingly severe and frequent weather events, causing political and economic turmoil that often transcends national borders. This highlights the importance of urgent global action.

Extreme weather’s unequal toll

The deadliest extreme meteorological events are storms and floods, representing the biggest share of the deaths of the last 30 years. These situations also have the greatest economic impact, as the report calculates a total of 3.66 billion dollars directly lost because of these two. After that, heat waves also produced almost 30% of the casualties of extreme meteorological events, especially affecting vulnerable populations in urban areas.

But the effects of these events are uneven all over the globe. Even though in 2022 seven out of the ten most affected countries were from the Global North—and so, high-income countries—they are proven to be better prepared and to have a bigger material capacity to face them, whereas in the long term, Global South countries—with fewer resources—are the most vulnerable to their effects. All countries, no matter what their income levels are, must improve their strategies for managing the so-called climate risks, but a special effort must be put into the Global South. Increasing investment in climate adaptation strategies, education, and disaster preparedness is crucial, especially in those nations that have contributed the least to global emissions but face the greatest dangers.

Politics vs. science: the battle over climate action

Despite the permanent rhetoric of far-right parties stating that climate change does not exist, science is pretty clear in associating its relationship with the frequency and intensity of extreme meteorological events. The current climate emergency has, with no doubt, increased the probability and the severity of events such as heat waves, heavy storms, and floods. This data reinforces the necessity of implementing mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change, but despite the international treaties, pacts, and agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is a huge gap between the measures taken until now and the required objectives to limit global warming.

Many governments—often influenced by climate denialism or short-term economic interests—continue to delay or water down essential policies. Far-right parties, in particular, not only reject the scientific consensus but also actively obstruct climate action by rolling back environmental regulations, cutting funding for renewable energy, and promoting fossil fuel industries. For instance, the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement—according to him, unfair to American businesses—while Jair Bolsonaro’s government in Brazil weakened environmental protections, accelerating deforestation in the Amazon.

Similarly, in Europe, far-right parties have opposed the Green Deal, claiming it harms farmers and industry, despite mounting evidence that inaction will lead to even greater economic and social costs. This deliberate negligence not only endangers future generations but also fosters existing inequalities, as vulnerable communities are hit the hardest by extreme weather disasters. While some countries struggle with climate action, the most proactive ones, such as those in the European Union, are pushing forward with policies to achieve net-zero emissions, hoping to set an example for others to follow.

The road ahead: urgent actions to avert disaster

The Climate Risk Index 2025 report reminds us of the growing threat that extreme meteorological events represent at a global level. The climate emergency is real, and data evidence the necessity to take urgent actions to mitigate its effects and increase the resilience of the most vulnerable communities. The way is clear and shared by many: effective international cooperation and a firm commitment to climate policies to face the challenge and protect present and future generations. We must act before it is too late. Or is it too late yet? We hope not. If we fail to take action now, we risk further exacerbating the social, economic, and environmental impacts of climate change, with potentially irreversible consequences for future generations. However, with strong, coordinated efforts, it is still possible to limit the damage and ensure a more sustainable, equitable future.