Asia's future on a hotter planet

A report outlines the dramatic changes Asia-Pacific nations would face if climate change continues unchecked. Here are potential effects in the report.

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ASIA-PACIFIC

* All coral reef systems in Asia-Pacific, such as the Great Barrier Reef, would collapse due to mass coral bleaching with a 4C rise. This could lead to losses of almost $US58 billion in reef-related fisheries in Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2050.

* Even if global warming is limited to 2C as pledged in the Paris climate pact, almost all coral reefs are expected to experience severe bleaching.

* Sea level may rise by 1.4m if temperatures increase by 4C.

* Nineteen of the 25 cities most exposed to a 1m sea-level rise globally are in Asia-Pacific, seven of them in the Philippines alone.

* Indonesia would be the Asian country worst-affected by coastal flooding, with about 6 million people expected to be hit each year until 2100.

* With a 4C temperature rise, annual precipitation is expected to increase by up to 50 per cent over most land areas in the region, while some nations like Pakistan and Afghanistan may experience a 20-50 percent decline in rainfall.

* Of the top 20 cities with the largest projected increase in annual flood losses between 2005 and 2050, 13 are in Asia - in China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan.

* Rice yields in some Southeast Asian countries could decline by up to 50 per cent by 2100 if no climate change adaptation efforts are made.

* Heat-related deaths among people aged over 65 could rise annually by 52,000 cases by 2050.

* The six places particularly prone to future migration linked to climate change are Bangladesh, Philippines, China, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, the Indus Delta in Pakistan and small island states in the Pacific.

Sources: ADB, PIK, World Health Organisation


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world