The World Risk Index is a tool used to assess and estimate the disaster risk of a country. It takes into consideration both external and internal factors, i.e. threats by natural hazards such as cyclones, floods, droughts and sea level rise and societal conditions.

The tool is used in the 2014 World Risk Report, which focuses on the city as a risk area and demonstrates that not only the magnitude or intensity of a natural event influences disaster risk, but a multitude of different factors such as the political and institutional structures, infrastructure, and the environmental and economic conditions of a country. It is within this context that climate change risks are factored into the analysis of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security. giving a full picture of the risks that urban areas in 140 countries face.