Climate change poses a growing threat to people and their livelihoods in Asia and the Pacific. Record heat waves, catastrophic floods, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Yet critical data gaps hinder our understanding of climate impacts, particularly on vulnerable populations in developing Asia and the Pacific. The 55th edition of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific explores the data required to inform climate-related policies. It assessess the availability of appropriate data on climate change drivers, impacts, levels of vulnerability, as well as mitigation and adaption strategies.

Transcript

Climate change is posing a growing threat to people and their livelihoods in Asia and the Pacific.

Last year alone, there were record heat waves across the region. India witnessed catastrophic floods, while Kiribati suffered from prolonged drought. The People’s Republic of China experienced some of its heaviest rainfall in a century, and Australia grappled with bushfires and floods.

In spite of this, global and regional progress on some climate-related goals continues to struggle mightily. Urgent actions are needed across Asia and the Pacific. These must consider unique climate patterns and ecosystems. They must also account for each economy’s capacity to cope with the impacts of climate change, and thus be informed by high-quality data on climate change and policy actions.

As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, ADB is steadfast in its commitment to addressing the many threats posed by climate change. We’re working to ensure a clean energy transition and enhance climate resilience in line with the Paris Agreement. In 2019, ADB committed to investing $100 billion in climate finance by 2030. This includes doubling our support for climate adaptation, to better protect the poor and vulnerable.  

To speed up climate action, it’s important to make use of comprehensive and robust data and statistical frameworks. We need sound scientific definitions, standardized protocols, and statistical methodologies. These can help us collect data, conduct scientific research, and form effective policies. By bolstering statistical capacity across Asia and the Pacific to measure climate actions and outcomes, we can empower governments and communities to make informed decisions and develop more effective climate action plans.

The 2024 edition of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific highlights an urgent need to quickly build capacity to produce climate change statistics. It also calls for further development of statistical methodologies for important climate change indicators. The report explains why precise, geographically granular data are essential to understanding climate change drivers and impacts—and to design effective measures for mitigation and adaptation.

Armed with high-quality data and statistics, we can take evidence-based actions to shape a more sustainable future for Asia and the Pacific.