“Climate change is now a major focus of economic research in Southeast Asia,” said Herminia A. Francisco in a conference on the economics of Climate Change in the region which runs from Feb 27-28 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Text and photos by Henrylito Tacio
Addressing the participants — mostly researchers — from the region, particularly Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam and those from other countries (Australia, Finland, China, Taiwan, and the United States), Francisco said that climate change is now a global challenge that will affect societies and economies.
“Among the questions we now need immediate answers are: How climate change will affect us? How much climate change cost us? And what are the cost-effective/efficient ways to adapt?” asked Francisco, the program director of Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA).
Francisco believed several studies have been already. “For our research findings to have impact on how we address the challenges presented by climate change, efforts must be made to communicate them widely — not only to end users and policy makers, but also to fellow researchers,” she pointed out.
“By doing so, we not only avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts but we also receive useful peer insights, especially on what areas need further research,” she added.
Southeast Asia is among the most dynamic regions in the world. “From a long-term perspective, the economic progress throughout the region has been remarkable, characterized by rapid growth in prosperity and massive reduction in poverty,” said a statement released during the conference.
Going with the “business as usual” scenario, the region’s current 600 million population will be one of the wealthiest in the world.
But there’s a hitch: “climate change threatens this prospect of prosperity,” the statement said. “Southeast Asia’s geography, population density, and reliance on its natural resource sector make it one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change.
“Even today, the region’s exposure to weather-related hazards has shown how vulnerable this region is to climate change impacts,” it added.
In the Philippines, 10 cities are must vulnerable to storm surges, according to Dr. Benoit Laplante, an independent consultant and adjunct professor at the School of Public Policy of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
Among those listed in the top 15 are Manila (ranked first), Taguig (10th place), and Davao (15th place).
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