More than 30 million people across Asia were displaced by environmental disasters and weather-related events in 2010, a new report warns, and the region will become increasingly vulnerable as the effects of climate change grow. And with the frequency of extreme weather events expected to increase in the coming years — including floods, droughts, and major storms — the Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicts that tens of millions more people across Asia and the Pacific will be forced to migrate to other regions. While it is impossible to predict the scale and scope of the potential threats, governments can identify which areas are most vulnerable and start planning for the effects on services and infrastructure, said Bart W. Edes of the ADB’s Regional and Sustainable Development Department. The cost of adaptation efforts, including construction of sea walls and the restoration of mangrove swamps to reduce storm surges, could exceed $40 billion, the group predicts. But the bank, which is working on developing policy solutions, says the displacement of populations will lead to increasing economic volatility, regional conflict, and human suffering.
30 Million People in Asia Displaced by Extreme Weather in 2010
More From E360
-
Climate
Scientists Are Trying to Coax the Ocean to Absorb More CO2
-
INTERVIEW
Marina Silva on Brazil’s Fight to Turn the Tide on Deforestation
-
Solutions
Solomon Islands Tribes Sell Carbon Credits, Not Their Trees
-
INTERVIEW
With Sea Turtles in Peril, a Call for New Strategies to Save Them
-
RIVERS
Jared Kushner Has Big Plans for Delta of Europe’s Last Wild River
-
Energy
A Nuclear Power Revival Is Sparking a Surge in Uranium Mining
-
OPINION
Despite Official Vote, the Evidence of the Anthropocene Is Clear
-
INTERVIEW
At 11,500 Feet, a ‘Climate Fast’ to Save the Melting Himalaya
-
Oceans
Octopuses Are Highly Intelligent. Should They Be Farmed for Food?
-
Climate
Nations Are Undercounting Emissions, Putting UN Goals at Risk
-
Solutions
As Carbon Air Capture Ramps Up, Major Hurdles Remain
-
ANALYSIS
How China Became the World’s Leader on Renewable Energy