Asia, one of the region’s most vulnerable to climate change, is also home to the biggest contributors of global warming.
Last year, over 57 million people were affected by climate disasters in the region, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported.
And the risk Asia faces is only going to grow.
In a worst-case scenario, by 2050, a substantial majority of people living in areas with a probability of lethal deadly waves will be in Asia, according to a 2020 report by McKinsey Global Institute.
“It’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C,” IPCC Working Group III co-chair, Jim Skea said. “Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.”
And yet, efforts to mitigate that risk haven’t been adequate on several fronts — especially when it comes to China and India, two of the top three contributors to global emissions in addition to the US. Asia plays a crucial role in global efforts to decarbonise because it accounts for almost half of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, the region presents an uneven picture, with culpability and vulnerability varying significantly with each country.