October 01, 2025

Adaptation finance is highly concentrated, with 10 SIDS receiving 67% of tracked adaptation finance. Furthermore, international public adaptation finance flows to SIDS have no significant correlation to climate vulnerability, as assessed by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) country vulnerability scores.

August 14, 2025

The Philippines ranked 116^th out of 187 countries with a score of 43.4 out of 100 in the latest edition of the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative’s (ND-GAIN) Country Index by the University of Notre Dame. The country is one of the most vulnerable and least ready in the region when it comes to climate-related challenges.

August 04, 2025

Syria stands among the most severely affected countries by the climate crisis as it is ranked 164th on the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) index with an alarming score of 35.7—one of the highest vulnerabilities and low readiness levels, globally.

August 02, 2025

SIDS contribute less than 1 percent of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but are the most affected by the climate crisis. All 18 SIDS in the Indo-Pacific region have significantly high levels of climate vulnerability, demonstrated by their high ranking in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) sub-index of Exposure to Climate Change.

July 30, 2025

Using the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative’s climate exposure index, the study also examined how conditions in immigrants’ countries of origin affect migration. A 10-unit increase in a country’s climate exposure score corresponds to a 0.5% increase in that country’s share of immigrants to Canada across all categories—temporary workers, students, and permanent residents.

June 03, 2025

South Asia’s vulnerability to rising global temperatures and associated developments exceeds that of all other EMDE regions, as is shown by the University of Notre Dame’s Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) vulnerability index.

May 25, 2025

According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), Sierra Leone ranks 181 out of 182 countries in terms of climate vulnerability and readiness.

May 01, 2025

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) ranked Uganda as the 14th most vulnerable country and one of the least prepared (163rd out of 182) to respond to climate-related challenges. 

April 10, 2025

To objectively identify the most vulnerable countries, we used the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) country index, which has decades of observations and assesses different kinds of vulnerability. We chose two of the ND-GAIN dimensions of vulnerability: adaptive capacity and exposure.

February 11, 2025

Countries with lower corruption levels generally show better readiness to face the challenges posed by climate change. However, that is not enough – many are still not adopting the ambitious measures necessary to tackle the climate crisis, due in part to undue influence by businesses. (Source: Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index (ND-GAIN, 2024) and Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2024 (2025))

January 31, 2025

These are the bottom-10 of 180 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative ranking that assesses a country’s level of vulnerability, and readiness to leverage resources and financing for climate change adaptation solutions.

January 30, 2025

Vulnerability to Climate Change and Readiness to Adapt (2022 ND-GAIN Index)

December 02, 2024

Bhutan faces significant challenges related to climate change, including a lack of disaster risk knowledge, preparedness and effective communication systems. According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), as of 2022, Bhutan is the 34th most vulnerable country and the 67th most ready country. It means that the country is on the road to responding effectively to climate change, but the adaptation needs and urgency to act are greater.

November 26, 2024

For climate change: Allocations were based on a country’s population, climate vulnerability, and readiness for adaptation as indicated by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) index. ND-GAIN index scores range from 0 to 100, with higher values representing greater readiness and lower vulnerability of a country. We divided the group’s average ND-GAIN score by each country’s score to obtain an adjustment coefficient for each country (so that if a country’s ND-GAIN score were lower than the average, implying greater needs, they would get more finance, and vice versa). Each country’s adjustment coefficient was then multiplied by its population. New finance was then distributed based on each country’s climate-adjusted population as a share of the whole.

September 09, 2024

A new United Nations climate instrument to support the most vulnerable countries will make its mark if it follows six key recommendations. ND-GAIN scores used to determine vulnerability, along with a few other indicies.

June 06, 2024

A vast, arid, oil-dependent country of nearly 7 million people, Libya is acutely exposed to the deleterious effects of climate change. These problems include soaring temperatures, declining rainfall, rising sea levels, extended droughts, and sand and dust storms of increasing frequency, duration, and intensity, to name a few. The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index ranks Libya 126 of 182 states, just after Iraq, in the lower-middle tier denoting most vulnerable countries.

May 14, 2024

Due to a combination of political, geographic, and social factors, Bangladesh is recognized as highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and is ranked 163rd out of 185 countries in the 2021 ND-GAIN Index.