Philippines ranked 7th in global climate risk index

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Philippines’ climate crisis resembles a marathon with a moving finish line—just as the country begins recovering from one catastrophic storm, another strikes harder, dragging economic stability further out of reach.

According to the newly published Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 by Germanwatch, the Philippines ranks as the 7th most affected country by climate-related extreme weather events over both the past 30 years (1995–2024) and the single year of 2024.

The CRI measures the human and economic toll of extreme weather based on six indicators: fatalities, people affected, and economic losses—each assessed in both absolute and relative terms.

Long-term climate toll: 1995–2024

Over the 30-year period, the Philippines suffered 371 extreme weather events that caused more than 27,500 deaths and affected more than 230 million people. Inflation-adjusted economic losses surpassed USD 35 billion.

The report highlights that countries like the Philippines, classified as lower-middle-income, are particularly vulnerable due to recurring climate disasters that strike before communities can recover from the previous ones.

Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 remains the most devastating event in the Philippines’ climate history. The Category 5 superstorm killed more than 7,000 people, caused USD 13 billion in damage, devastated nine regions, destroyed or damaged 1.1 million homes, and inflicted USD 802 million in agricultural and infrastructure losses.

“The Philippines is hit by floods, heat waves, or storms so regularly that entire regions can hardly recover from the impacts until the next event hits,” said Vera Künzel, co-author of the CRI. “Without more long-term support—including for adapting to the climate crisis—they will face insurmountable challenges.”

A devastating 2024

The Philippines also ranked 7th in the CRI for 2024, a year marked by back-to-back climate disasters, including six typhoons in just 30 days between September and November, and an unprecedented heat wave in the summer.

The most destructive event was Tropical Cyclone Trami (Kristine), which made landfall on October 22. The storm killed 191 people, affected over 9.6 million individuals, and caused USD 373 million in damages through flooding and landslides.

Typhoons Gaemi (Carina) and Butchoy (Prapiroon) brought flash floods to Luzon in July, causing 53 deaths, affecting roughly 6.5 million people, and resulting in USD 211 million in economic losses. In September, Typhoon Yagi (Eteng) affected 3 million people, while Typhoon Man-Yi (Pepito) in November caused additional destruction, affecting 4 million people and causing USD 100 million in losses.

The 2024 typhoon season displaced 11 million people, damaged or destroyed 480,000 homes, and affected more than 16 million overall. The total losses from the season alone exceeded USD 700 million.

April and May saw an extreme heat wave with temperatures reaching 53°C. Although no fatality or loss estimates were provided, attribution science linked the heat wave’s intensity to human-induced climate change, which added about 1.2°C to the baseline.

Climate change worsens severity

The report attributes the worsening impacts to anthropogenic climate change. Researchers found that climate change increased the average intensity of 2024’s storms by 2 meters per second (7.2 km/h), raised the frequency of typhoons like Gaemi by 30%, and made the odds of three or more major typhoons hitting in a single year about 25% higher.

The country’s socioeconomic vulnerability compounds the damage. Households in the Philippines often require years to recover after a major storm, with 90% of household economic losses occurring during the long recovery period.

The CRI report was released as world leaders convened in Belém, Brazil, for COP30 climate negotiations. The Philippines faces growing pressure to advocate for urgent international action, especially as it reels from the recent impacts of Super Typhoon Uwan.

From 1995 to 2024, more than 832,000 people worldwide died due to over 9,700 climate-related disasters, with global economic losses exceeding USD 4.5 trillion. The Philippines remains among the 11 most severely affected countries globally—none of which are classified as rich industrialized nations.