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Manila Bulletin devider Environment and Sustainability devider PH retains title as country most prone to disasters

PH retains title as country most prone to disasters

The country topped the disaster risk report for two consecutive years

Published May 10, 2024 06:49 am

The Philippines placed first out of 193 countries on the 2023 World Risk Index list, which ranks countries based on susceptibility to natural disasters including typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and drought. 

Since its launch in 2011, the annual report, published by the Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum, has ranked the Philippines with a "very high" risk index, which describes index score of 12.89 to 100, the highest classification among five. 

Notably, the country’s WRI score skyrocketed from 21.39 in 2021 to 46.82 in 2022, when it topped the list first time. PH marked a 46.86 index score in 2023, nearly quadruple the “very high” index baseline, followed by Indonesia at 43.50 and India at 41.52. 

“Diversity plays a significant role in how disaster risk is distributed within a society,” the report stated. “While it is true that disasters, extreme natural events, and crises affect everyone in the immediate surroundings, the impact of the negative consequences tends to be more severe for marginalized groups.” 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report, low-income countries suffer the harshest climate impacts despite low contribution to global emissions. 

From COP’s all-talk-low-action stance to unmet reparation vows for climate adaptation, it may not take a genius to know why the Philippines, a developing nation, is inadvertently the country most prone to disasters.

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world risk report MBEnvironment World Risk Index Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report
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