Introduction: What is climate change?

Explore the impacts of climate change in South Asia and the proactive measures taken to address them. Learn about regional vulnerabilities, ongoing initiatives, and the importance of collective action for sustainable development.

Climate change is a pressing global issue that affects every living being on Earth. The ongoing changes in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily driven by human activities, pose significant threats to ecosystems and human societies worldwide. However, amidst the complexities of global development and modernization, awareness about climate change and its implications remains limited among many individuals. It is crucial to recognize the urgency of addressing climate change, particularly in regions like South Asia, where vulnerabilities are heightened due to various factors.

Global warming and other climate-related issues can negatively impact the contemporary world by causing severe harm to all living creatures, including humans, animals, and even trees. Human activities are the primary cause of climate change, which results in global warming and related issues. It can negatively impact human mental and physical health, food consumption and infrastructure accessibility. The reason behind this is that most people tend to focus only on a “Human Centric Approach” rather than having an overview of a “Human and Planet Centered Approach.” (Vignoli, Roversi, Jatwani, & Tiriduzzi, 2021) These vulnerabilities could lead to food shortages, water scarcity, and even loss of habitats and may create more climate victims in the future.

Heightened vulnerability of the South Asian Region

The South Asian region is greatly impacted by weather fluctuations resulting from the ongoing climate crisis. The changes in the Monsoon Weather Cycle have particularly affected the territory. The Asian Development Bank has already predicted the future consequences of climate change in the South Asian Region, including a warming trend of 0.75, rapid loss of snow cover, and a highly flooded season. (Bank A. D., 2014)

As per the statistics, the increase in carbon dioxide resulting from solid waste disposal will become a significant concern for the South Asian region in the immediate future. This phenomenon is highly likely to cause food shortages and devastation of crops due to changes in weather patterns in the world’s most populous sub-continent region. (Jazeera, 2023) Additionally, displacement may increase due to severe flash floods and landslides as a result of heavy monsoon cycles – all of which are highly connected with climate change.

Ongoing efforts to address the issue

Since the implementation of the Paris Agreement in 2016, South Asian countries, including India, have been tasked with addressing climate change issues, given that they are the world’s largest carbon emitters. (Agarwal, Balasundharam, Blagrave, Cerutti, Gudmundsson, & Moussa, 2021) Considering this ongoing critical situation, the region is taking several actions to implement ‘Climate-smart solutions’ including innovative approaches within the communities. The ‘World Bank Roadmap for South Asian Climate’ would create more sustainable development projects to tackle this issue. Since 2007, the SAARC organization has launched its action plan for the whole region while focusing on seven thematic areas, and currently, these action plans are ongoing with the selected areas within the region. (Bank T. W., 2024)

It is a significant factor to take further steps for achieving targets of climate action priorities aligned with the considerable highlighted factors of COP-28 in 2023 related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Implementing new solutions for renewable energies by creating more new projects and building new resilience with Eco-centric practices are highly appreciated within the region. Furthermore, implementing nature-based solutions in collaboration with non-governmental actors is creating more awareness and positivity in the action plans. It genuinely supports the diplomatic actions taken by government officials in each country as responsible parties for addressing the climate issues.

Most South Asian countries have recognized the importance of education and awareness in tackling climate change issues on an individual level. In Sri Lanka, the ‘National Climate Change Policy’s Vision’ has been established to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change by aligning with global sustainable development objectives and taking adaptable measures to reduce human-related actions. It is visible that international organizations like the United Nations and its affiliates are also supporting the Sri Lankan government and non-governmental organizations in addressing climate change issues. (climateanalytics, 2023)

Sri Lanka taking as an example

It is important to consider the actions taken by Sri Lanka as an individual country in addressing environmental issues. The Sri Lankan government has taken proactive measures to tackle the challenges posed by climate change by implementing a comprehensive ‘National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change Impacts’. The plan, spanning from 2016 to 2025, is designed to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, such as extreme temperatures, alteration of the monsoon cycle, dangerous floods and landslides, droughts, and rising sea levels. This initiative aims to enhance the resilience of critical sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, water management, and food production, which have a direct impact on human life and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

Furthermore, international governmental organizations like the United Nations and its affiliated organizations are in the frontline of addressing the climate crisis and it gives ultimate support to the Sri Lankan government and Non-Governmental Organizations in the country to tackle these issues with its vision and mission. (Environment, 2012) 

Conclusion: Prospects and solutions

Climate change poses a critical threat globally, and South Asian countries, with their high population and with the ongoing developments, are particularly vulnerable. Prioritizing a “Human and Planet Centered Approach” over a purely human-centric one is crucial. This means acknowledging that the consequences of climate change affect everyone, regardless of region or background. To address this threat, my suggestion is that individuals must take responsibility and work towards sustainable solutions. Individuals should take the responsibility by taking collaborative efforts like initiate new projects and campaigns within the region, seek the advice from climate change specialists and environmentalists and making new awareness projects in the educational institutions are essential for mitigating these issues and ensuring a better world for future generations. As a conclusion, the South Asian region should create more governmental collaborations to take further steps to mitigate the issues to ensure the goals of sustainable development.

References

Agarwal, R., Balasundharam, V., Blagrave, P., Cerutti, M., Gudmundsson, R., & Moussa, R. (2021). Chapter 7 Climate Change: Further Need for Mitigation and Adaptation in South AsiaClimate Change: Further Need for Mitigation and Adaptation in South Asia. In I. e-library, Climate Change: Further Need for Mitigation and Adaptation in South Asia (p. 26). International Monetary Fund.

Bank, A. D. (2014, October 16). Climate Change in South Asia: 12 Things to Know. Retrieved January 2024, from www.adb.org: https://www.adb.org/features/climate-change-south-asia-12-things-know

Bank, T. W. (2024, January 28). Climate and Development in South Asia. Retrieved January 29, 2024, from www.worldbank.org: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar/brief/integrating-climate-and-development-in-south-asia/integrating-climate-and-development-in-south-asia-region#:~:text=At%20the%20same%20time%2C%20South,renewable%20energy%2C%20and%20regenerative%20forestry

climateanalytics. (2023, April 06). The road to COP28: climate action priorities in South Asia. Retrieved January 28, 2024, from climateanalytics.org: https://climateanalytics.org/events/the-road-to-cop28-climate-action-priorities-in-south-asia

Environment, M. o. (2012). SRI LANKA: National Climate Change Policy of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2024, from asiapacificenergy.org: https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/node/2739

Index, W. A. (2024, January 28). Live most polluted major city ranking. Retrieved January 28, 2024, from www.iqair.com: https://www.iqair.com/world-air-quality-ranking

Jazeera, A. (2023, July 08). What makes South Asia so vulnerable to climate change? Retrieved January 2024, from www.aljazeera.com: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/8/what-makes-south-asia-so-vulnerable-to-climate-change

Nations, U. (2023). Climate Action. Retrieved from www.un.org: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change

Rowling, M. (2020, December 18). Climate change could create 63 million migrants in South Asia by 2050. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from www.Reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-migration-southasia-tr-idUSKBN28S1WV/

Vignoli, M., Roversi, S., Jatwani, C., & Tiriduzzi, M. (2021, August). Human and Planet Centered Approach: Prosperity Thinking in Action. www.researchgate.net, 1797-1806.