Extreme weather events are generally expected to increase in frequency and intensity due to global climate change. They have the potential to significantly undermine progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Global Climate Risk Index 2008 analyses to what extent countries and country groups have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heatwaves etc.). These analyses are based on the well-known assessments of the Munich Re database NatCatSERVICE®. The figures for 2006 reveal that Asian countries dominate the ranking of the most affected countries (the Down10), while in the past decade hurricanes in the Caribbean region caused significant losses and deaths. In various respects, inter alia regarding the losses in relation to the GDP or deaths in relation to the population, less developed countries are affected more than industrialised countries.
