Southeast Asia will be the region most heavily affected by climate change

As predicted by scientists in recent times, global warming will significantly affect labor efficiency and productivity in Southeast Asian countries, before 2045.

Climate change will hurt Southeast Asia the most

Increasing temperatures will increase the possibility of "heat stress" over the years. This not only negatively affects workers' health but also has a very bad effect on the economy. Singapore and Malaysia will be the two countries suffering the worst losses , with the ability to reduce productivity by up to 25%. This figure is estimated differently in each country, for example Indonesia is projected to drop 21% of productivity, Cambodia and the Philippines are 16%, Thailand and Vietnam at 12%.

Impacts on Agriculture and Natural Resources

In 2009, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) released a report predicting that agriculture and natural resources in Southeast Asia would be severely affected by the adverse effects of change. climate. According to IFAD, severe weather such as floods, droughts and storms, can affect irrigation systems, crop development productivity, land degradation, loss of ecosystems and water resources. This will have a negative impact on agriculture-based and natural resource-based economies. Climate impacts will also seriously threaten the lives of local people, which are associated with agricultural production.

Photo: @tuanlionsg.

In the same year, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) issued an economic report on climate change in Southeast Asia. According to the ADB, Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate change, due to the densely populated population on the coast , large agricultural areas and a large number of people living with lower expenditures 2 USD / day. In Southeast Asian countries, agriculture accounted for 43% of total employment in 2004, contributing 11% to GDP in 2006. This area also relies heavily on natural resources and forestry. Therefore, the export of products from here is likely to be adversely affected by extreme weather events.

Besides, the report also forecasts that average rice production is likely to decline by up to 50% by 2100 compared to 1990. Countries like Vietnam and Thailand are expected to be most affected by the This decline . In addition, sea level rise can also cause a 12% decline in rice production.

Impact on coastal communities

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In 2013, the World Bank issued a press release, warning warmer climates that could threaten livelihoods in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the degradation of coral reefs will partly reduce the number of tourists, reducing fish stocks and making people living in coastal areas more vulnerable to storms.

Soon after in 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), also warned that people living in coastal areas of Asia may face some negative impacts. most of global warming. Millions of people are expected to lose their homes due to floods and famine.

Measures

If Southeast Asia is not involved in sustainable development and disaster risk management, regional growth and poverty reduction will be severely affected. While many Southeast Asian countries have clear options for addressing the effects of climate change, much remains to be done to protect life and the economy.

According to experts, the region needs to use some adaptation measures, such as encouraging carbon emissions reduction, public awareness, additional funding for climate change studies, strengthening and Policymakers. In the long term, this can help mitigate the impact of climate change, as well as help protect regional economies and livelihoods.