Asian countries suffered their hottest year on record in 2020: UN Report

Ahe of UN climate talks in Glasgow, UN's World Meteorological Organisation in its annual 'State of Climate in Asia' report said that Asian countries suffered ir hottest year on record in 2020. According to reports published on October 26, it said every part of region h been affected due to extreme wear conditions.  report said that Asia h its warmest year, with mean temperature 1.39 °C above 1981–2010 average. It highlighted several notable heat extremes, including a temperature of 38.0°C at Verkhoyansk, Russian Federation, provisionally highest known temperature anywhere north of Arctic Circle.

report said that Earth's largest and most populous continent h witnessed one of worst phases in 2020 as it claimed lives of thousands of people and displaced millions, wreaking a heavy toll on infrastructure and ecosystems. According to a new multi-agency report coordinated by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), sustainable development is threatened, with food and water insecurity, health risks and environmental degration on rise. "Wear and climate hazards, especially floods, storms, and droughts, h significant impacts in many countries of region, affecting agriculture and food security," said WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas, in a statement released on Tuesday. It contributes to increased displacement and vulnerability of migrants, refugees, and displaced people, worsening health risks, and exacerbating environmental issues and losses of natural ecosystems."

"Combined, se impacts take a significant toll on long term sustainable development, and progress toward UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in particular," he ded.

Re official tweet of WMO on Asia's hottest year

Average sea surface temperatures reached record high

According to report, Beijing-- world's most populous country, with a population of more than 1.4 billion-- suffered a loss of an estimated $238 billion. While report claimed that second populous country, India suffered a loss of $87 billion, followed by Japan with $83 billion and South Korea on $24 billion. According to report, average sea surface temperatures reached record high values in Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Arctic Ocean in 2020.  report said that climatic change has also affected Himalayan region as change in temperature aids glacier melting at a very fast pace, resulting in floods and or natural calamities in Asian region.

Flood-affected 50 million people in Asia 

According to UN climate report, it affected approximately 50 million people in Asia and resulted in more than 5,000 fatalities. In 2020, 48.8 million people in South-East Asia, 305.7 million in South Asia and 42.3 million in West Asia are estimated to have been undernourished, according to WMO. Asia accounts for more than half of global total. " true impacts of COVID on food security and nutrition are yet to be established. But compared with 2019, number of undernourished people in 2020 increased by 6% in South-East Asia and West Asia, and by 20% in South Asia. Climate-related disasters compounded problem," re report. 

(Image: AP)