BANGKOK (Aug 15): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned that urban areas in Asia are at risk of climate change-borne inundations within 2025, expected to affect up to 350 million people, reports Thai News Agency.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday on the 2012 ADB report on key economic indicators for Asia and the Pacific, ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee said that urban areas in Asia are growing unexpectedly fast, with Asian urban people now almost accounting for half of the global population.
Rhee forecast that additional 1.1 billion Asians will live in urban areas over the next three decades, such the expanding urban communities of which should cause more pollution and slums, as well as economic and social inequality and quick environmental deterioration.
Besides, the emission of greenhouse gases will rise to 10.2 tonnes per person in 2050, which should be dangerous to Asia and other regions, Rhee said.
Without proper management, Rhee cautioned, over 400 million people in Asia could, therefore, be at risk of coastal flooding and 350 million others could suffer from flooding in urban areas within 2025, the circumstances of which would worsen living conditions of overall Asian population.
The ADB chief economist, therefore, urged Asian governments to prepare their urban areas to cope with climate change-borne disasters, like a massive flooding occurred in Thailand late last year, recommending as well that the Asian governments improve the environment of slums and implement environmental conservation projects.
The ADB chief economist cited alternative and renewable energy projects, traffic control zones and greenhouse gas limitation in several Asian nations, including Singapore, as good examples of attempts to help relieve environmental problems in Asia.
Source: The Edge Dated: 15/08/2012
