Climate change increasing threats in southwest Pacific: WMO report

Climate conditions in the Southwest Pacific 2020 It is part of a new series of regional climate reports by the United Nations Weather Agency, and covers much of Southeast Asia as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

real and potential risks

The report and accompanying story map were launched at the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Where the threat to the existence of many small island developing states (SIDS) has been one of the recurring themes.

“This report highlights the real and potential risks associated with changes in ocean circulation, temperature, acidification and deoxygenation, as well as rising sea levels. Small island developing states are becoming more vulnerable to these changes, Because their income is highly linked to fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.” said peteri talas, were wmo Secretary General.

coral reefs eroded

The report provides a snapshot of climate indicators and their risks and impacts on economies, society and the environment. It details threats on land and at sea.

Sea surface temperatures and ocean warming are rising at more than three times the global average rate in parts of the southwest Pacific, the WMO said. “Marine heat waves” bleach once-vibrant coral reefs and threaten the vital ecosystems on which the region depends.

Last year, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef region suffered widespread coral bleaching, for the third time in the past five years. The WMO has warned that 90 percent of coral reefs there and in the Coral Triangle could suffer severe degradation if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

fishing in the fall

Ocean warming, deoxygenation, and acidification are also altering ocean circulation patterns and chemistry, forcing fish and zooplankton to migrate to higher latitudes and change behavior, thus leading to changes in traditional fisheries. Change is happening.

Pacific islands have been particularly affected because coastal fishing provides food, welfare, culture and employment. The report found that between 1990 and 2018, total fish production decreased by 75 percent in Vanuatu and 23 percent in Tonga.

Tropical glaciers are disappearing

Global mean sea level has risen at an average rate of about 3.3 mm per year since the early 1990s and accelerated as a result of ocean warming and land-ice melting.

According to the report, the rate of change in sea level in the northern Indian Ocean and the western part of the tropical Pacific Ocean is significantly higher than the global average rise.

The WMO said sea level rise is already having a major impact on societies, economies and ecosystems in Pacific islands, and leaves them vulnerable to tropical cyclones, storm surge and coastal flooding.
 
The last remaining tropical glacier between the Himalayas and the Andes is also at risk due to climate change. The glacier, located in Papua, Indonesia, has been present for about 5,000 years, but at the current rate, total ice loss would be expected over the next five years.

storm and wildfire

Meanwhile, hurricanes and floods have led to death, destruction and displacement in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (SIDS). The Philippines, as well as the Pacific, have been hit hard by SIDS, typhoons and tropical cyclones, while drought is also a major threat.

The unprecedented 2019-2020 wildfire season in eastern Australia resulted in severe smoke pollution. More than 10 million hectares of land burned, and some 33 people died along with millions of animals, while more than 3,000 homes were destroyed.

The region is under pressure to achieve sustainable development due to meteorological hazards, which are expected to become more extreme as a result of climate change.

early warning system

Between 2000 and 2019, extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones caused about 1,500 deaths and affected an average of about eight million people per year. About 500 people died in 2020, about a third of the long-term annual average, but more than 11 million people were affected.

The report advocates early warning systems as a “major adaptation measure” to reduce climate risks and impacts. About three quarters of the countries in the region have a multi-hazard early warning system.

The WMO said that addressing rising climate risks and their impacts requires action at the local, regional and international levels, including capacity building, the development of climate services and integrated disaster risk reduction approaches.

They are also important for achieving sustainable development and building better COVID-19 global pandemic.