Unprecedented Disasters Hit Asia Due To Climate Change, Warns UN Agency Report

Asia experienced an unprecedented number of disasters caused by extreme weather and climate threats last year due to global warming, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which is part of the United Nations. The region was hit harder than any other part in 2023, as millions faced devastation, deaths exceeded 2,000 and economic losses soared above $65 billion due to floods, storms, heatwaves and droughts. Celeste Saulo, the WMO’s Secretary-General warned that climate change has intensified these events, causing profound impacts on societies, economies and human lives across Asia. The report highlights a trend of increased heat waves in the region as key indicators such as surface temperature, glacier melting and sea level rise signal worsening conditions requiring greater disaster risk prevention measures to be put into place. Celeste Saulo emphasised that Asia is warming at double the speed of global averages resulting in a substantial lack of precipitation causing damage across sectors including drinking water sources, agriculture, industry and hydropower as well as droughts leading to unprecedented levels during some parts last year where they persistently below average precipitations occurred for over eight consecutive months. The report suggests that the implementation of early warning systems and more disaster risk reduction could significantly mitigate losses caused by climate change in future, with damage being reduced by 30% when a warning is issued within 24 hours as confirmed from past experiences across Asia. According to studies led by scientists elsewhere heat events may become “pervasive and frequent occurrences” worldwide while prolonged droughts are more likely leading to water scarcity for many people causing major losses due to impacts such as agriculture loss or in severe circumstances food crises among communities where drinking sources disappear from drying rivers, reservoirs running empty which often affects those with lesser resources. The report’s findings were described by Celeste Saulo as “sobering”, given that climate change and societal disparities are at critical junctures to be addressed urgently for the future of Asia.