State of Climate in Asia Report 2022

State of Climate in Asia Report 2022

News: The State of the Climate in Asia 2022 report was recently released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

About:
• The report is one of a series of WMO regional State of the Climate reports that aim to inform policy makers and the public about the current status and trends of the climate and its impacts.
• It was released during a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s (ESCAP) Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction.
• UN ESCAP (HQ: Bangkok; founded in 1947) is one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Key Findings:
• Asia is warming faster than the global average, with a warming trend in 1991–2022 that was almost double the warming trend in 1961–1990.
• There were 81 weather, climate and water-related disasters in Asia in 2022, of which over 83% were flood and storm events.
• More than 5,000 people lost their lives, more than 50 million people were directly affected and there were more than US$36 billion in economic damages.
• Sea level rise in Asia is higher than the global average, with some regions experiencing rates of up to 10 mm per year.
• The report also highlights the need for urgent and ambitious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate.
• It calls for enhanced cooperation and coordination among countries, sectors, and stakeholders to address the challenges and opportunities of climate change in Asia.