British weather service warns of increased flooding risk for SE Asia

MANILA, Philippines - The risk of flooding in South East Asia is seen to increase by 77 percent by the end of the century,  based on  a new map called released by the British Embassy in Manila and presented to the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

According to the British Embassy, even as flood risks in the region increase, temperatures on the warmest days of the year would  increase by an average of 4.3°Celsius, and the number of days of drought would  increase by five  percent. 

“This means the Philippines could see about 1.6 million people a year being adversely affected by flooding if no efforts are made to mitigate climate change. It is also projected that the country could experience temperatures on the warmest days of the year increase by 3°C with the likelihood of increased drought occurrences between five- and 20-percent in areas of Luzon and Mindanao regions by 2100,” the British Embassy said.  

The Human Dynamics of Climate Change (HDCC) map was presented by Dave Britton, the United Kingdom Met Office’s principal advisor for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID), in a recent  event co-hosted by the British Embassy and the Office of United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) and the  Department of Foreign Affairs.  

The UK’s Met Office is a weather and climate service that works closely with governments, individuals and organizations.

Britton said the risks of climate change outweigh the opportunities. 

“While climate projections reveal both positive and negative impacts, the risks posed by our changing climate across South East Asia and parts of the Philippines vastly outweigh the opportunities. Furthermore this map shows that the impact of climate change may be felt a long way from where those changes occur,” he said. 

British Ambassador Asif Ahmad, commenting on the findings, said typhoons like Yolanda and Glenda show the increasing danger of climate change.  

“It is essential that nations secure a global deal in 2015. The science is clear, and typhoons like Yolanda and Glenda have shown us how climate change has a devastating effect on people and properties. Climate change is also likely to have had a negative impact on food production, especially in tropical regions, and to have reduced water resources significantly in already dry parts of the world. This increased stress on basic resources could result in human displacement and may increase the risks of conflict, depending on wider social and political stresses,” Ahmad said.