Climate, UN: Asia most affected by environmental disasters in the world

Asia was the region of the world most affected by weather, climate and water-related disasters in 2023. According to the new report by the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), floods and storms caused the most casualties and economic losses, while the impact of heat waves became increasingly severe.

The report 'State of the Climate in Asia 2023' highlighted the acceleration of key climate change indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat and sea level rise. In 2023, sea surface temperatures in the Northwest Pacific Ocean were the highest ever recorded, and the Arctic Ocean also experienced a marine heat wave. Asia is warming faster than the global average. The warming trend has almost doubled since 1961-1990. Particularly high average temperatures have been recorded from western Siberia to central Asia and from eastern China to Japan. Japan and Kazakhstan have recorded record warm years.

"The report's conclusions are discouraging. Many countries in the region experienced the hottest year on record in 2023, as well as a range of extreme conditions, from droughts and heat waves to floods and storms. Climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of these events, with a profound impact on societies, economies and, most importantly, on human lives and the environment in which we live," said Omm Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

According to the Emergency Events Database, 79 disasters associated with hydro-meteorological hazard events were reported in Asia in 2023. Of these, more than 80 per cent were related to floods and storms, with more than 2,000 deaths and nine million people directly affected. Despite the increasing health risks posed by extreme heat, heat-related mortality often goes unreported.