South Asia is the world’s most climate-vulnerable region because its fast-growing populations are badly exposed to floods, droughts, storms and sea-level rise, according to a recent survey of 170 nations conducted by Maplecroft , a British-based global risks advisory film. Intended as a guide for strategic investment and policymaking, the Change Vulnerability Index is based on 42 social, economic and environmental factors, including the responsiveness of government to assess the risk to population, ecosystems and business from climate change. According to the index, of the 16 countries listed as being at “extreme” risk from climate change over the next 30 years, 5 are from South Asia, with Bangladesh and India in first and second place, Nepal in fourth, Afghanistan in eighth and Pakistan at 16th. South Asia is especially vulnerable because of changes in weather patterns that result in natural disasters, including floods in Pakistan and Bangladesh this year that affected more than 20 million people.
It is noticeable that the most serious vulnerabilities to climate change are found in a group of developing countries with socio-economic systems ill-equipped to address development challenges such as food and water security in addition to being burdened by unstable economies and weak institutions.