Publication

The world is increasingly feeling the effects of climate change caused by global warming. Countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) alone are expected to see temperature increases of 0.5°C–2°C by 2030, together with a sea-level rise of 3 – 16 cm that will result in massive coastal erosion and freshwater aquifer contamination. The coastal areas are already experiencing increasingly frequent and intense tropical cyclones. The overall number of rainy days and total precipitation is expected to decrease in many areas, together with increasingly erratic snowfall pattern in the mountains that form the watershed of the Mekong River. Forest ecosystems are also expected to witness more intense and widespread natural fires, increasing incidence of pest infestation and diseases, and the onslaught of more invasive species.

GMS countries are heavily reliant on agriculture; unfortunately, it is predicted that the highest global reductions in agricultural potential as a result of climate change will be experienced here. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicts serious crop yield declines in the region over the next 40 years, while other recent studies foresee an increase in crop yield due to the proliferation of atmospheric CO2, although with significant accompanying decline in crop quality.

Though anthropogenic activities are largely to blame for climate change, humans also hold the key to addressing this challenge through a two-pronged approach of mitigation and adaptation. Global mitigation efforts, which tend to be more high-tech and/or complex in nature, with the primary focus being on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction, are hindered by political roadblocks. Adaptation measures, on the other hand, are increasingly being implemented at the national and local