25-7-2023 (BANGKOK) A new United Nations report warns that climate change-induced disasters present a graver threat to the Asia-Pacific region than previously acknowledged. The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2023, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on Tuesday, highlights the urgent need to build resilience in the face of escalating risks.
According to the report, future annual losses in the region could soar to nearly US$1 trillion if global warming surpasses 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Preventing such a temperature rise is crucial to global climate change efforts. However, with the planet expected to cross the 1.5-degree threshold within the next five years, the situation is becoming increasingly critical.
The region’s capacity to adapt to the changing climate and cope with the rising frequency and intensity of floods, tropical cyclones, heatwaves, and droughts is rapidly diminishing as temperatures continue to climb. New disaster hotspots are emerging, and existing ones are intensifying, demanding a fundamental transformation in resilience-building strategies.
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP’s executive secretary, stressed the urgent need for action, stating, “The region has a narrow window of opportunity to increase resilience.”
The Asia-Pacific region is already the most disaster-prone in the world, and 2022 witnessed no respite. The region was hit by 140 separate disasters, resulting in over 7,500 deaths, affecting 64 million people, and causing economic damages estimated at US$57 billion, as revealed in the report.
Unfortunately, the projected future appears even bleaker, with a “riskscape of complex, compound, and cascading disasters” on the horizon. Climate change is set to exacerbate inequalities in the region and negatively impact economic productivity.
Even with just 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, 85% of the region’s population will face multi-hazard risks, affecting food production and energy security. The report highlights the significance of nature-based solutions, such as safeguarding and enhancing mangrove forests and coral reefs, as well as strengthening early warning systems and social protections for vulnerable communities. Investing in targeted warning systems for critical sectors like agriculture and energy could potentially reduce disaster losses by up to 60%, according to the report.
To build a resilient future, the report underscores the need for urgent investment in systems that identify risk hotspots and develop early action plans to protect vulnerable communities.
The report terms this resilient approach as “transformative adaptation” and estimates its cost at US$144.74 billion across the region, accounting for nearly 1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in Southeast Asia. While the price tag may seem substantial, the report emphasizes that the cost of inaction will be far higher.
The concept of loss and damage, which places responsibility on developed nations for providing financial assistance to countries bearing the brunt of climate change impacts, remains a prominent international concern. Negotiations on funding mechanisms could potentially aid in bridging climate-response budget shortfalls.
