Dominica has been identified as the nation most susceptible to extreme weather events over the past three decades, according to the ‘Climate Risk Index 2026’ released by Germanwatch, an independent organization focused on development, environmental, and human rights issues. The report, presented during the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) of the UN climate change gathering in Brazil on November 12, underscores the escalating devastation caused by climate-induced disasters, particularly in poorer nations. Drawing data from the EM-DAT international disaster database, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank, the report highlights Dominica’s acute vulnerability to severe weather, exemplified by the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which caused damages exceeding three times the country’s GDP at the time. The Climate Risk Index, published since 2006, provides a comprehensive assessment of the human and economic toll of extreme weather events globally. It ranks countries based on fatalities and economic losses over the past year and a 30-year period. Between 1995 and 2024, Dominica, Myanmar, Honduras, Haiti, and Grenada emerged as the most affected nations. In 2024 alone, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada were the hardest hit. The report also cites a World Weather Attribution study linking the unprecedented intensity of recent disasters to human-induced climate change. Since 1995, 9,700 extreme weather events have been documented, with storms accounting for a third of fatalities and $2.64 trillion in global damages. The Caribbean region’s recent experience with Hurricane Melissa, which caused widespread devastation across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, further underscores this trend. Despite Dominica’s efforts to rebuild and become the world’s first climate-resilient nation, Germanwatch warns that climate change is an immediate and defining reality. The organization advocates for urgent global action, including reducing emissions, accelerating adaptation efforts, implementing solutions for loss and damage, and ensuring adequate climate finance.
Dominica is country most affected by impact of extreme weather event in 30 year period, according to Climate Risk Index
