India holds highest share of corporate climate risk exposure globally

Verisk Maplecroft research found India hosts over $1 trillion in corporate market capitalisation exposed to very-high climate risk by 2050. The findings flag elevated physical and socio-economic climate risk for assets located in India, sharpening resilience-planning pressure on companies operating there.

Research by Verisk Maplecroft, using its Climate Hazard and Vulnerability Index, estimates up to $1.14 trillion in corporate value across the S&P 500, DAX, CAC 40, Nikkei 225 and FTSE 100 sits in 48 countries deemed 'very high' risk by 2050 under an intermediate emissions scenario. India accounts for over 95% of that exposure. By contrast, only $34.8 billion in current market value across those indices sits in such high-risk countries today, underscoring rising long-term exposure. Market capitalisation estimates are based on March 2025 valuations.

Assets located in India are most affected, driven by dependence on climate-sensitive sectors including agriculture, a large low-income population, and rising physical threats like extreme heat, drought, and flooding. Within the S&P 500 alone, assets worth $818 billion are exposed to India's climate risk. The index identifies India, Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh and Pakistan among the most vulnerable emerging markets. Western firms remain exposed through supply chains and operations located in India, even when headquartered in climate 'safe havens.'

Companies with assets or supply chains in India should incorporate socio-economic climate vulnerability into resilience planning, an area the report identifies as a blind spot beyond standard physical-hazard reporting. Verisk's analysts note markets price risk at the corporate level even though vulnerabilities manifest where assets are located. Affected entities should monitor projected mid-century risk trajectories and assess exposure across the eight climate hazards, population sensitivity, and adaptive-capacity dimensions the index measures, drawing on asset-location data rather than corporate domicile alone.

Key figure — Exposure concentration: India accounts for over 95% of $1.14 trillion at very-high climate risk by 2050