World Meteorological Organization: Extreme weather has hit Asia hard, warming twice as fast as the world

The report states that 2024 is the hottest or second hottest year on record in Asia. From heat waves, droughts, floods to the accelerated melting of glaciers, the Asian continent has hardly been spared.

Heat waves and droughts swept across the country

In 2024, many parts of Asia experienced widespread and long-lasting extreme heat. From April to November, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East were hit by heatwaves. Japan, South Korea and China have recorded record monthly temperatures for several months, while Myanmar has recorded an all-time record of 48.2°C.

The high temperatures were accompanied by severe droughts. In China, the drought has affected nearly 4.8 million people, damaged more than 330,000 hectares of crops, and caused an estimated direct economic loss of more than US$400 million.

The marine heatwave is unprecedentedly severe

The report notes that sea temperatures in the waters around Asia are also rising sharply. In 2024, marine heatwaves will cover about 15 million square kilometers, equivalent to 10% of the Earth's ocean area and 1.5 times the land area of China. It is particularly severe in the northern Indian Ocean, the waters adjacent to Japan, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea.

According to the report, sea surface temperatures in Asia are rising by 0.24°C per decade, twice the global average. Warming has been particularly pronounced in the Arabian Sea and the north-western Pacific Ocean.

Glaciers are melting rapidly, threatening water security

According to the report, "High Asia", centered on the Tibetan Plateau, is known as the "third pole of the earth" and has the largest number of glaciers outside the polar regions. However, in 2023/2024, 23 of the 24 observed glaciers in the region experienced mass loss.

Among them, the melting degree of Urumqi No. 1 glacier has set the worst record since the observation in 1959. The accelerated retreat of glaciers has exacerbated the risk of disasters such as glacial lake outbursts, floods and landslides, and posed challenges to long-term water security in the region.

Extreme weather events are frequent, resulting in serious casualties and economic losses

In 2024, Typhoon Capricorn caused extensive damage and casualties in many countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and China. Central Asia suffered the worst floods in 70 years, with nearly 120,000 people forced to evacuate.

In South Asia, extreme rainfall triggered a landslide in the Indian state of Kerala at the end of July, killing more than 350 people; In late September, Nepal was also hit by severe flooding due to record-breaking rainfall, killing 246 people and causing economic losses of nearly $100 million.

West Asia has not been spared. The most extreme rainfall since 1949 was recorded in the UAE in April, with 259.5 mm of rain falling in 24 hours.

Early warning and proactive action are saving lives

Despite the frequency of disasters, the report also highlights a number of positive aspects. The case study in Nepal shows that 130,000 people were successfully supported to protect their lives during the 2024 floods, significantly reducing health risks and casualties through strengthened early warning systems and anticipatory humanitarian action.

WMO Secretary-General Sauro said: "The role of national meteorological and hydrological services and their partners is more critical than ever. They are the backbone of building climate resilience and protecting lifelines. ”

Global action is urgently needed to support Asia's response

The State of the Asian Climate is one of the World Meteorological Organization's flagship reports, providing data support and forward-looking information for policymakers and governments. WMO called for increased investment in climate adaptation, support for early warning systems for disasters, and push the international community to scale up assistance to the most affected areas.

The report calls on the global community to confront the grim trend of climate warming in Asia and take urgent and decisive collective action to avert further climate catastrophe in the coming decades.