The latest State of the Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights the increasing threat of climate change in Asia, with rising temperatures, melting ice and glaciers, and rising sea levels leading to socio-economic disruptions in the region. The mean temperature over Asia in 2022 was the second or third warmest on record, with a significant deviation from the average temperature. This warming trend has serious implications for the region.
Asia is already recognized as the world's most disaster-prone region, and in 2022, it experienced over 80 disasters, mainly floods and storms. These events resulted in the loss of more than 5,000 lives and affected around 50 million people. The economic damage caused by these disasters exceeded $36 billion.
Drier-than-normal conditions and droughts were prevalent in many areas of Asia, including China, which suffered from prolonged drought conditions, affecting water availability and the power supply. The economic losses in China alone were estimated to be over $7.6 billion.
One of the major concerns highlighted in the report is the intense mass loss of glaciers in the High Mountain Asia region due to exceptionally warm and dry conditions in 2022. This poses significant challenges to future food and water security and ecosystems in the region.
Pakistan experienced devastating losses due to severe flooding in 2022, with 60% of its normal monsoon rain falling within just three weeks of the start of the monsoon season. Over 33 million people, approximately 14% of the population, were affected, and losses amounted to more than $15 billion.
The report also points out an overall surface ocean warming trend in Asia since 1982. Certain areas, such as the northwestern Arabian Sea, the Philippine Sea, and the seas east of Japan, have experienced warming rates exceeding 0.5°C per decade, which is roughly three times faster than the global average surface ocean warming rate.
With an expected increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events in Asia, the report emphasizes the impact on agriculture, which is central to all climate adaptation planning in the region. Food security and agricultural sustainability are major concerns given the changing climate conditions.
The report was released during a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and includes an interactive story map with a focus on agriculture and food security.
Overall, the report highlights the urgent need for coordinated efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change in Asia. It calls for robust disaster risk reduction measures and sustainable agricultural practices to address the region's vulnerabilities and safeguard its socio-economic and environmental future.
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