Asia Pacific faces disaster emergency: estimated losses of 82 lakh crores

The Asia-Pacific region, including India, is facing a state of disaster emergency due to the escalating climate disasters in the area. These disasters are putting immense pressure on the people and the region's resilience. Without timely intervention, the loss from these calamities could reach Rs 82 lakh crore with a 2-degree Celsius temperature increase.

The severity of the situation is evident as the risk of climate-related disasters surpasses the region's capacity to cope with them. The Asia-Pacific region stands as the most vulnerable area to disasters globally, as per the recently released "Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2023" by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UN ESCAP), dedicated to the region.

According to the report, time is slipping like sand in this area. In such a situation, if action is not taken on this growing climate crisis now, then the entire Asia-Pacific region including India may have to pay a heavy price for it.

The report highlights that extreme weather events in the Asia-Pacific region have become increasingly frequent, intense, and devastating. The region is witnessing the highest impact of these disasters compared to other parts of the world.

Over the past five decades, around two million people have lost their lives to these calamities. In 2022 alone, there were over 140 disasters, resulting in the tragic deaths of more than 7,500 individuals. Furthermore, these disasters affected over 6.4 crore people, causing widespread devastation and disruption in the region.

Asia-Pacific not ready to face climate-related disasters

The report highlights the severe economic impact of these disasters, with the economy suffering a loss of more than 4.66 lakh crore rupees ($5,700 million). Rising temperatures are expected to worsen the situation, particularly in countries like India, which are already climate disaster hotspots.. The report warns of an increase in the frequency and intensity of disasters and the emergence of new disaster-prone areas in the region.

Without immediate action for prevention and adaptation, the report cautions that a temperature increase of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius could exceed the region's climate adaptation capacity. This could jeopardize the achievements made in sustainable development and lead to far-reaching consequences.

The report projects that if the temperature rises by two degrees Celsius, the economic losses due to these disasters will escalate drastically, amounting to 82 lakh crore rupees (one lakh crore dollars). This could result in losses equivalent to approximately three per cent of the region's GDP.

The regions that are already heavily affected by these calamities will bear the greatest burden of the consequences. Developing countries, particularly small islands in the Pacific, will face escalating inequality and devastation, particularly in the agricultural and energy sectors. This will have a significant impact on food and energy security in these vulnerable regions.

Disaster Emergency in Asia

In response to the escalating disaster hotspots and the urgency of the situation, Armida Salsia Aliszhabana, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in how we address and confront these challenges. With rising temperatures and the ongoing emergency of disasters, immediate action is imperative.

The report highlights the importance of investing in early warning systems capable of detecting multiple disasters simultaneously, especially to save lives in developing countries. These systems have the potential to significantly reduce the death rate and minimize disaster-induced damages by approximately 60%. These warning systems are predicted to yield substantial returns on investment.

During the eighth session of the ESCAP Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction, held from 25 to 27 July, the focus was on crucial issues such as finding effective ways to adapt to changing conditions with rising temperatures. These approaches aim to empower vulnerable households in high-risk areas to safeguard their assets and livelihoods.

Additionally, the session discussed the mid-term review of the ongoing Sendai Framework for 2015 to 2030, which aims to enhance resilience to interconnected hazards and mitigate the risk of disasters.

Furthermore, we emphasized regional planning to ensure that all communities in Asia and the Pacific have universal access to early warning systems by the year 2027.

Lastly, the session aimed to assess the progress of regional cooperation and collective efforts in disaster risk reduction to strengthen the region's resilience and response capabilities.

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