INCHEON: The Asian Development Bank’s Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, has warned that climate change is expected to have a severe impact on the CAREC regional countries, which includes Pakistan, Central Asia, Mongolia, China, and the South Caucasus.
Speaking at a press conference during the 56th ADB annual meeting, Zhukov called on the countries in the region to address the increasingly serious impacts of climate change issues that could lead to food insecurity, water scarcity, and even conflict.
The region has already witnessed dramatic and deadly examples of climate change impacts in 2022, including devastating floods in Pakistan, unexpected droughts in Afghanistan and China, excessive heat, and cross-border conflicts over scarce water resources in Central Asia.
Urgent action needed to mitigate impacts of climate change
Zhukov emphasized that urgent, collective action is needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
According to the study launched at the meeting, higher-than-average temperature surges are likely to lead to expanded desertification, greater water scarcity, and more extreme weather events like floods and droughts.
In the Central Asian region, a water supply gap of 37 percent will occur by 2050 unless irrigation systems and other crucial water infrastructures are modernized and upgraded. This gap could lead to more food insecurity, lower agricultural productivity, worse health outcomes, and potential conflicts over limited resources.
The study suggests that the CAREC Program should develop a comprehensive climate change strategy defining priority sectors for collaboration, outline projects with the most mitigation and adaptation potential, and propose a facility to finance those projects.
Publicizing a common position among CAREC members at global climate negotiations such as COP will also strengthen the region’s collective call for climate action, according to the study.
The severe impacts of climate change on the region must be addressed urgently by the countries in the region, and collective action is crucial to mitigate these impacts. The study’s recommendations for a climate change strategy and financing facility provide a framework for addressing these challenges and building resilience in the region.
