Climate change occurs all over the world, and it is particularly important in Asia, as it accounts for the majority of the human population in the world. The warming trend in Asia in 1991–2022 was almost double the warming trend in the 1961–1990 period.
There were 81 recorded weather, climate, and water-related disasters in Asia in 2022, of which over 83% were flood and storm events. More than 5,000 people lost their lives, more than 50 million people were directly affected, and there were more than US$ 36 billion in economic damages, according to a report. In addition, a large part of arid Asia experienced severe dust storms. Several severe dust storm events in western Asia affected civil lives in the region.
The impact of climate change in Asia is multifaceted and varies across the region due to its diverse geography, economies, and populations. Here are some key impacts:
Temperature: Hot temperature extremes appear to have increased the most in Central and West Asia, while heatwaves in East and South Asia are becoming longer, more frequent, and more severe. In 2016 and 2018, Asia has already experienced extreme heat that would have been statistically impossible without climate change. New Delhi broke an all-time record when it reached 48 °C (118 °F) in 2018. North Asia has the coldest climate due to its proximity to the Arctic, but it also experiences greater relative warming due to what is known as arctic amplification. This has led to permafrost thawing, which acts as a feedback mechanism for climate change and also puts large quantities of infrastructure at risk of collapse. In Southeast Asia, heat-related deaths could increase by 12.7% under a high-warming scenario.
Water Scarcity: Changes in precipitation patterns, including altered monsoon seasons, are affecting water availability. Rainfall associated with the monsoons of South Asia and East Asia had decreased by the end of the 20th century, likely due to aerosol pollution. There is already evidence of monsoon recovery when aerosol concentrations decline. Because some clouds from South and East Asia extend to Central Asia, they could increase rainfall there with the same moisture they did not shed during the monsoon, supported by some evidence. However, this effect isn’t very strong, as overall rainfall in West and Central Asia has decreased while the likelihood of drought has increased. The frequency and intensity of dust storms had increased in this region as well, although this was partly caused by poor land use practices. At the same time, heavy precipitation events (defined as 400 mm or more in a day) had increased in South, Southeast, and East Asia during the 21st century. Over a third of the cities in Asia, with a combined population of around 932 million, are considered to be at high risk of flooding. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush region feed the water basin of over 220 million people. In the Indus River basin alone, they contribute to up to 60% of irrigation outside of the monsoon season. These glaciers have already experienced melting in the 21st century, and it will continue in the future, as up to two-thirds of glacier ice may melt by 2100 under high warming. While glacier water supply would likely increase until 2050, it would be permanently diminished afterwards. Although the increases in monsoon strength may offset these losses, agriculture in the region would still become more reliant on it than ever before, while hydropower generation would become less predictable and reliable.
Sea level rise: Asia has the largest population at risk from sea level rise. As of 2022, some 63 million people in East and South Asia were already at risk from a 100-year flood. This is largely due to inadequate coastal protection in many countries. This will get much worse in the future. Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam alone account for 70% of people exposed to sea level rise during the 21st century. This is due to the dense population on the region’s coasts. Between 1901 and 2018, average global sea level rose by 15–25 cm (6–10 in), an average of 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) per year. [This rate accelerated to 4.62 mm (0.182 in)/year for the decade 2013–2022.] While the rate of sea level rise in Asia is usually similar to the global average, it has been around 10% faster in the Indo-Pacific region since the 1990s.[3] Future sea level rise on Japan’s Honshu Island would be up to 25 cm faster than the global average under RCP8.5, the intense climate change scenario. Asia will suffer direct economic damages of US$167.6 billion at 0.47 meters of sea level rise. This rises to US$272.3 billion at 1.12 meters and US$338.1 billion at 1.75 meters. There is an additional indirect impact of US$8.5, 24, or 15 billion from population displacement at those levels. China, India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Russia experience the largest economic losses. Nations like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China with extensive rice production on the coast are already seeing adverse impacts from saltwater intrusion. A high-emission RCP8.5 scenario would see the loss of at least one third of Japanese beaches and 57–72% of Thai beaches.
Agricultural Impacts: Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting agricultural productivity. Droughts, floods, and changes in pest distribution are impacting crop yields, threatening food security for millions of people.
Health Risks: Climate change exacerbates health risks through an increased incidence of heatwaves, vector-borne diseases, and air pollution. These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and the poor.
Economic Disruption: The economic costs of climate change in Asia are significant, affecting industries such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and infrastructure. Disruptions to supply chains and damage to infrastructure from extreme weather events can have long-lasting economic consequences.
Biodiversity Loss: Climate change is driving habitat loss and altering ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss. This not only threatens the survival of many plant and animal species but also affects ecosystem services crucial for human well-being, such as pollination and water purification.
Addressing these impacts requires both mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures to cope with the changes already underway. Collaboration among Asian countries and the international community is essential to effectively tackle the challenges posed by climate change in the region.
To know the cause of climate change in Asia:
https://weatherclash.com/index.php/2024/05/13/what-are-the-causes-of-climate-change-in-asia/
