New WMO report says climate change impacts have increased in Asia: What are the key takeaways
Context- According to a new report, released on Thursday (July 27), by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Asia is the world’s most disaster-prone region and it experienced 81 weather, climate and water-related disasters in 2022. These events directly affected more than 50 million people with about 5,000 getting killed and economic damage worth $ 36 billion, the report added.
Although, in 2021, the continent had been affected by around 100 natural disasters, the extent of these hazards was more prominent in 2022 — the number of people and facilities affected, and economic damage have increased.
(Credits- Indian Express)
(Credits- Indian Express)
- Many other regions were hit by severe floods and extreme monsoon rainfalls. Pakistan is the most notable example – it received 60 per cent of normal total monsoon rainfall within just three weeks of the start of the 2022 monsoon season, and the heavy rains resulted in urban and flash floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods across the country.
- More than 33 million people were affected, over 1,730 people died and almost eight million people were displaced, according to the report.
- In India, heavy rainfalls “lasting from May to September triggered multiple landslides and river overflows and floods, resulting in casualties and damage,” it added. In total, this flooding resulted in over 2,000 deaths and affected 1.3 million people — the disaster event caused the highest number of casualties of any disaster event in 2022 in India.
- The report also said economic loss due to disasters relating to floods exceeded the average for the 2002–2021 period. Pakistan incurred a loss of over $ 15 billion, followed by China, over $ 5 billion, and India, over $ 4.2 billion.
- The occurrence of such incidents doesn’t come as a surprise to scientists and experts. According to the 2023 annual report from the American Meteorological Society (AMS), climate change is making the weather around the world get more extreme with more frequent floods, heat waves and droughts.
- The WMO report also noted that the rise in frequency and severity of extreme weather events has particularly impacted the agriculture sector in Asia. “For climate-related disasters such as floods, droughts, and tropical storms, more than 25 per cent of all damage and losses is associated with the agriculture sector,” it added.
- Apart from natural disasters, climate change has exacerbated glaciers melting in Asia due to high temperatures and dry conditions. Four glaciers in the High Mountain Asia region, centred on the Tibetan Plateau, have recorded significant mass losses, with an accelerating trend since the mid-1990s.
- Even the sea surface temperatures in Asia are getting warmer than ever before. The report pointed out that in the north-western Arabian Sea, the Philippine Sea and the seas east of Japan, the warming rates have exceeded 0.5 degree Celsius per decade since the 1980s. It is about three times faster than the global average surface ocean warming rate.
Conclusion- Climate change continues to threaten lives, property and livelihoods across the world. Concerted efforts are required among the international community in accordance with the principles of common but differentiated responsibility to tackle the challenge.
Syllabus- GS-3; Climate Change
Source- Indian Express
