CHR News Desk | New Delhi
Decades of data spanning from 1970 to 2021 underscore the pressing need for enhanced disaster risk reduction efforts in Asia, according to a comprehensive analysis released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The analysis, based on data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), reveals a staggering 3,612 disasters attributed to weather, climate, and water extremes during this period. These disasters resulted in a devastating toll of 984,263 deaths and economic losses totaling USD 1.4 trillion. Notably, Asia accounted for 47% of all reported deaths worldwide, with tropical cyclones emerging as the leading cause of fatalities. The catastrophic impact of Tropical Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which claimed 138,366 lives, remains a poignant reminder of the region’s vulnerability to such events.
Further highlighting Asia’s susceptibility to climate-related disasters, torrential rains and floods wreaked havoc across East Asia in 2023, inflicting severe damage and underscoring the urgent need for robust disaster risk reduction measures.
Despite efforts to bolster disaster preparedness, the WMO’s climate services checklist data reveals concerning gaps in climate projections and tailored products crucial for informing long-term interventions. Currently, less than 50% of Member countries provide tailored products, indicating a significant inadequacy in addressing the region’s high vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
The report emphasizes the pivotal role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in providing essential services for disaster risk reduction. However, the average level of engagement with the disaster risk reduction community across the region remains at an initial stage, with a score of 3.2 out of 6, primarily focusing on identifying needs rather than providing tailored products and services.
With annual losses in Asia projected to exceed USD 160 billion by 2030, concerted efforts are urgently needed to advance disaster risk reduction initiatives and provide tailored support products to mitigate disaster risks effectively.
To address these challenges, the WMO and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are spearheading the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, aiming to ensure universal access to early warnings by 2027. This initiative was launched by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the COP27 climate change conference in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.
In a bid to mainstream the EW4All initiative in Asia, ministers, heads of NMHSs from 24 countries, and key regional partners issued a high-level declaration at the RA II Regional Conference (RA II RECO 2023) in Abu Dhabi in March 2023. The declaration includes robust recommendations to advance the four key pillars of multi-hazard early warning systems: risk knowledge and management, observations and forecasting, dissemination and communication, and preparedness and response.
