WMO Report

The State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report highlighted the accelerating rate of key climate change indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat and sea level rise, which will...

Ruby Thakur
April 24, 2024
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The State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report highlighted the accelerating rate of key climate change indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat and sea level rise, which will have major repercussions for societies, economies and ecosystems in the region.

WMO Report

Why In News

The State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report highlighted the accelerating rate of key climate change indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat and sea level rise, which will have major repercussions for societies, economies and ecosystems in the region.

Report, One Of A Series Of WMO Regional State Of The Climate Reports, Was Released During 80^th Session Of Commission In Bangkok, Thailand. It Is Based On Input From National Meteorological And Hydrological Services, United Nations Partners And A Network Of Climate Experts. It Reflects WMO’s Commitment To Prioritize Regional Initiatives And Inform Decision-making.

What Does Report Says

Asia faced the most disasters in the world as 79 events associated with extreme weather, climate, and water-related hazards in 2023 affected over nine million people in the region, directly killing over 2,000 people, a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said.
Over 80 per cent of the reported hydrometeorological hazards in Asia were flood and storm events.

Over 60 per cent of the 2,000 deaths due to disasters were associated with flooding and over 15 per cent with storms, the ‘State of the Climate in Asia 2023’ report released on Tuesday said. Storms affected the largest number of people and caused the most economic damage during 2023.
Compared to 2022, the reported disaster events in the region were lesser by only two in 2023. However, the number of people impacted in 2023 was lower as the 2022 Pakistan floods, in comparison, had alone affected over 30 million people.

In India, the impacts of extreme weather events were felt strongly as the country experienced severe heatwaves, rainfall-induced floods, glacial lake outbursts and tropical cyclones.
The report noted that Asia has warmed faster than the global average and the warming trend has nearly doubled since the 1961-1990 period.
The accelerating rate of key climate change indicators such as surface temperatures, glacier retreat and sea level rise will have major consequences for Asia, its economy and ecosystems, the report emphasised.

WMO’s Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the report’s conclusions are sobering. “Many countries in the region experienced their hottest year on record in 2023, along with a barrage of extreme conditions, from droughts and heatwaves to floods and storms.

Climate change exacerbated the frequency and severity of such events, profoundly impacting societies, economies, and, most importantly, human lives and the environment that we live in,” she said.
In April and June 2023, severe heat waves resulted in about 110 deaths due to heatstroke, the report noted.
Last year, the Ballia and Deoria districts in Uttar Pradesh saw the deaths of over 100 people, many of them senior citizens with co-morbidities. Temperatures were in the 42-43 degrees Celsius range in the region during these heat-related deaths, the report said.

A prolonged heatwave also affected much of Southeast Asia in April and May, extending westwards in Bangladesh and eastern India, and parts of China too.
The report, one of a series of WMO regional State of the Climate reports, was released during the 80th session of the Commission in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is based on input from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, United Nations partners and a network of climate experts. It reflects WMO’s commitment to prioritize regional initiatives and inform decision-making.

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Ruby Thakur

General Studies Lecturer SSBCrackExams, BSc In PCM, Trained Students For State Services Exams. Expertise in Geography ,Polity & Current Affairs. Love Travelling.