As the world is expected to finalize a new global climate agreement in Paris, France, at the end of the year, many experts and stakeholders still question whether this international initiative will be comprehensive enough to include the most vulnerable people in the smallest nations.
“Some of the key risks in the region are increased flood damage to infrastructure, livelihoods and settlements, heat-related human mortality, and increased drought-related water and food shortages,” Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, vice chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told Devex.
Among the climate change-related events that happened recently include Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people in the Philippines in 2013, and the extreme heat wave that hit India in May this year, which has resulted in over 2,500 deaths. Many people living in Pacific island nations continue to face the possibility of eventually becoming climate refugees as well, should sea levels rise high enough to inundate their countries completely.
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
