Monday 27 April 2009


MAIN POINTS FROM ADB CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY FOR SE ASIA

Reuters, April 27, 2009

Climate change threatens Southeast Asia's huge coastal cities and could slash crop output and access to clean water, triggering conflicts unless the region adapts and cuts its carbon emissions, an ADB report concludes.

Following are some of the main points of an Asian Development Bank report funded by the British-government that examines the threat from climate change in Southeast Asia and what the region can do about it.

The 250-page report, "The Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia: A Regional Review," focuses on the impact on the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, and is billed as the largest regional report of its type.

THE REGION
Southeast Asia comprises nearly 600 million people and the region was responsible for 12 percent of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions in 2000.

Major sources were the land-use change and forestry at 75 percent, energy at 15 percent and agriculture at 8 percent.

The region has more than 170,000 kilometers (105,000 miles) of coastline and tens of millions live in rapidly growing coastal cities vulnerable to rising seas.

About 80 per cent of the population live within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of the coast, leading to an over-concentration of economic activity and livelihoods in coastal mega cities.

THE THREAT
Climate change is already affecting Southeast Asia, with higher temperatures, decreasing rainfall, rising sea levels, greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather events leading to massive flooding, landslides and drought.

Climate change is also exacerbating the problem of water stress, affecting agricultural production, triggering forest fires, damaging coastal marine resources, and increasing outbreaks of infectious diseases.

(...) [artículo aquí] [ADB report here]

No comments: