ADB: Rising sea levels to displace 13.6M Filipinos by 2050

[GLT]

ADB: Rising sea levels to displace 13.6M Filipinos by 2050
Tuesday, 13 March 2012 22:15 Cai U. Ordinario

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/24500-adb-rising-sea-levels-to-displace-136m-filipinos-by-2050

AT LEAST 13.6 million Filipinos are at risk of being displaced due to
a rise in sea levels in the Philippines by 2050, according to the
latest climate-change report released by the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) on Tuesday.

The report, launched in Bangkok and titled “Addressing Climate Change
and Migration in Asia and the Pacific,” said the Philippines was
considered “one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.”
It ranks 5th globally in terms of number of individuals affected by
sea-level rise.

Data cited by the ADB also showed India has the most number of people
that may be affected by rising sea levels; as much as 37.2 million of
its citizens may be affected by climate change by 2050.

“The environment is becoming a significant driver of migration in Asia
and the Pacific as the population grows in vulnerable areas, such as
low-lying coastal zones and eroding riverbanks,” said Bindu Lohani,
ADB vice president for knowledge management and sustainable
development, in a statement. “Governments should not wait to act. By
taking steps now, they can reduce vulnerability, strengthen
resiliency, and use migration as an adaptation tool rather than let it
become an act of desperation.”

The report said adaptation to climate change through the year 2050 has
been projected to cost $40 billion in the region.

Rising sea levels may lead to coastal flooding which will likely
affect communities in these areas. In Southeast Asia, most of these
communities are found in Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand
and Vietnam, the report said.

The problem is seen to be exacerbated by tropical cyclones. Countries
in Southeast Asia that are especially vulnerable to strong cyclones
are Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In the
Philippines, northern and eastern parts of the country are also often
exposed to these cyclones.

The ADB said migration has been and will become a means of adaptation
to the communities living in these places. The report recommended that
governments must invest heavily on urban infrastructure and basic
services. There is also a need to protect migrant rights and to
provide migrants with equitable access to education, health, water and
sanitation.