LettersAsia must take action on climate change, or suffer its worst consequences
- Nineteen of the 25 cities most threatened by a 1m sea-level rise are in Asia
If we do not act now, global warming will bring soaring temperatures, rising sea levels, more intense storms, erratic rainfall, plummeting crop yields and a collapse of mangrove ecosystems and coral reefs to Southeast Asia.
The region’s future growth and security – and the welfare of hundreds of millions of people – are at stake. Southeast Asia can expect the sea level to rise in excess of 1 metre if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. Nineteen of the 25 cities most threatened by a 1m sea-level rise are in Asia, as many as seven in the Philippines alone. Indonesia will be the country most affected by coastal flooding, with around 6 million people affected every year until 2100. Global flood losses are expected to increase to US$52 billion per year by 2050, compared to US$6 billion in 2005.