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MANILA, Philippines—Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been urged to draw long-term solutions and invest more in green technology to combat the adverse effects of climate change.
The Asia Pacific region already accounts for about a third of global greenhouse emissions.
Asian Development Bank president Haruhiko Kuroda warned that Asia's share of global greenhouse gas emissions could even run up to more than 40 percent by 2030, "quickly making this region the main driver of climate change."
"(The Asia Pacific region) is certainly at a critical crossroad. In recent decades, rapid development has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty while bringing the region as a whole to higher living standards," Kuroda said in his speech at the High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific. The forum, which runs until Friday, is hosted by ADB.
"Along with this economic expansion however, has been a rise in environmental pollution -- including greenhouse gas emissions," Kuroda added.
Rajendra K. Pachauri, director general of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), also stressed that the Asia Pacific region should take the lead in drawing up solutions because of the fast growth in its population compared with those of other regions.
"Even if we halt emissions to zero today, the effects of climate change will continue for seven decades," Pachauri warned.
According to the ADB, reducing gas emissions to sustainable levels is the key, with Asia's response deemed as most critical since the region's sharp economic growth in recent decades has made it the fastest growing source of new emissions and it will soon be the largest absolute source.
An Oxfam international study estimated that at the least $50 billion would be required per year to support adaptation measures in developing countries like the Philippines if current emission rates were stabilized.
Pachauri, who is also the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) in India, also noted that the region has been most vulnerable to climate change in terms of fresh water supply, crop yields, coastal and marine ecosystems, and employment, among others.
Pachauri said that the impact of climate change has been aggravated by multiple stressors such as population growth and conflict.
ADB further warned that rising temperatures and extreme weather events would likely reduce crop yields by as much as 10 percent as early as 2020, putting 132 million people at risk of extreme hunger by 2050.
"Global consensus already tells us that 1.2 billion people could experience freshwater scarcity by 2020," Kuroda added. Fresh water supply is expected to decrease in Southeast, Central, East and South Asia.
Experts also urged developed countries to reduce gas emissions by 2020, by as much as 40 percent to avoid adverse effects of global warming, which is expected to lead to floods, higher sea levels, droughts and worsening storms.
A total of 24-34 percent of coral reefs would likely be lost while the region's coastal megacities, which included Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta, Karachi, Mumbai and Shanghai will face increased flooding and damage from unpredictable weather patterns.
Pachauri said that these scenarios should thus prompt countries worldwide to band together to reduce gas emissions. Combating climate change should become part of development strategies, he added.
"This requires a new paradigm of development, new metrics to measure development," he said.
Kuroda also called on countries to "escalate our efforts to put the region on a path of low carbon growth."
Although 75 percent of the power sector gas emissions in 2020 were already "locked in," investments in the next decade would be critical to a low carbon future in the longer term, ADB said.
To help countries make adjustments and adaptations to counter climate change, ADB has developed a three-pronged strategy.
For one, it is now analyzing climate change consequences and identifying cost effective measures to improve infrastructure and shield populations from adverse impacts. It is now earmarked Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta and Kolkata for its analysis.
Second, ADB is now "climate proofing" infrastructure and project designs to ensure they take into account predicted future changes and other negative climate events.
The third consisted of specific, defensive measures to reduce climate change impacts, particularly in Central Asia, where it is helping countries develop drought-resistant crops, improve irrigation, among others.
