GLASGOW: UN’s World Meteorological Organisation report declared 2020 as the hottest year for Asia. The report was presented at the UN Climate Change Conference here.
“Extreme weather and climate change impacts across Asia in 2020 caused the loss of life of thousands of people, displaced millions of others and cost hundreds of billions of dollars while wreaking a heavy toll on infrastructure and ecosystems,” the report stated.
The harsh weather affected the outdoor working hours and caused a loss of millions of dollars.
According to reports, China suffered a loss of $238 billion, whereas India incurred a loss of $87bn. Japan and South Korea underwent a loss of $83bn and $24bn respectively.
WMO chief Petteri Taalas said, “Weather and climate hazards, especially floods, storms, and droughts, had significant impacts in many countries of the region.”
The glaciers have also suffered from these conditions as the average sea surface temperature was a record high in 2020.
According to reports, “Glacier retreat is accelerating, and it is projected that glacier mass will decrease by 20pc to 40pc by 2050, affecting the lives and livelihoods of about 750m people in the region.”