The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) recently published the State of the Climate in Asia 2021 report. This document offers an eye-opening look at the concerning environmental changes that took place over the past year, especially highlighting the natural disasters that wreaked havoc across the Asian continent. In this article, we will be dissecting the report’s significant findings and discussing the causes lying behind these events. We will also look into some potentially beneficial actions to handle the situation.
Key Findings from the Report
According to the climate report, Asia experienced a staggering 80% of its natural disasters in 2021 in the form of floods and storms. These events resulted in financial losses amounting to USD 35.6 billion. The report identifies flooding as the most impactful event in terms of fatalities and economic damage.
India, in particular, felt the brunt of this impact. The country faced substantial losses due to intense rainfall and flash floods during the monsoon season between June and September 2021, with a total loss of USD 3.2 billion. This resulted in about 1,300 casualties and considerable crop and property damage, propelling India to rank second in Asia regarding such losses, China being the first.
Storms were another significant disaster, particularly harming economies in India (USD 4.4 billion), China (USD 3 billion), and Japan (USD 2 billion). In 2021 alone, India endured five cyclonic storms with destructive wind speeds, and incidents of thunderstorms and lightning led to approximately 800 lives lost throughout the year.
Underlying Causes Behind the Disasters
Several factors contribute to these crisis situations. One major cause is the rapid warming of the Arabian Sea and Kuroshio Current, which are heating at three times the average global upper-ocean temperature. This accelerated ocean warming can contribute to sea level rise, altered storm paths and ocean currents, and increased stratification.
Another contributing factor is the La Nina climatic pattern, which impacted India’s pressure patterns and led to excessive rainfall in some parts. The last two years were dominated by the La Nina effect, leading to extreme weather conditions in various regions of India.
Proposed Solutions and Steps for Adaptation
The report offers several suggestions to handle these escalating crises, with particular emphasis on investing in adaptation methods. India, for instance, needs to invest approximately USD 46.3 billion annually (1.7% of India’s GDP) to adapt to these changing climatic conditions.
High-investment adaptation priorities include the development of resilient infrastructure, improvement of dry land agriculture, establishment of multi-hazard early warning systems, and implementation of nature-based solutions. Protecting mangroves is one such nature-based approach that could potentially mitigate the impact of cyclones on coastal states.
Moreover, the creation of an Adaptation Fund is advisable, although currently, India does not possess such a standalone fund. Instead, money towards this cause is usually embedded in schemes handled by various sectors like agriculture, rural, and environment. For example, well-known initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme, which had an annual budget of USD 13 billion in 2020, should be structured to address adaptation in disaster-prone areas. Around 70% of this project’s budget is expected to funnel into natural resource management and the building of resilient infrastructure.
