November 28, 2007 - The poorest of the poor in South Asia are the most impacted by climate change, says a World Bank climate change expert.
Speaking ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali on December 3-14, 2007, Richard Damania, World Bank Senior Environmental Economist for the South Asia Region, said it is the poorest that are living in areas most vulnerable to climate change.
“We are going to see the wet parts of South Asia become wetter causing flooding and affecting more people. We will also see the arid areas getting drier. This will hurt the poor the most,” Damania said.
Damania said South Asia is going to face vast problems with climate change and that this is related to poverty and the very varied climate and geography in the region. “You have got some of the coldest parts of the world and you have got some of the hottest parts of the world.”
The impacts of higher temperatures, more extreme weather events such as floods, cyclone, severe drought, and sea level rise are already felt in South Asia and will continue to intensify, Damania said. “These changes are already having a major impact on the economic performance of South Asian countries.”
Analysis on the impact of Climate Change in South Asia
Richard Damania, Senior Environmental Economist for South Asia Region, discussess about the impact of Climate Change in South Asia.
 Richard Damania | - - The likely impact on South Asia from Climate Change (30s) wmv
- - Do you see signs of Climate Change in South Asia? (41s) wmv
- - The South Asia region is a low-intensity producer of carbon dioxide. But several reports predict the region will be one of the most affected in the World. Can you explain this paradox? (1m:15s) wmv
- - Recent reports suggest that India could see a drop of 30-40% in agriculture productivity? What role can the World Bank play in mitigating this risk? (1m:09s) wmv
- - Has the World Bank implemented climate change as a variable in development operations in the region? (1m:01s) wmv
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Growth & Climate Change
The South Asia region is a low-intensity producer of green house gasses. Its carbon intensity did not increase as economic growth accelerated in the last decade. The reasons for this, Damania explained, are that the region produces goods and services with very low amounts of emissions and low consumption of energy.
India, despite being the world's second most populous country and fourth largest economy, its carbon emissions is only one-fifth that of the United States or China. Furthermore, India is also one of the lowest-intensity producers of carbon among other large countries. However, Damania warned that “because poverty is so endemic and widespread, the climate impact on South Asia will be severe even if the region continues to be a low-intensity producer.”
World Bank Responds
Speaking about the Bank’s approach, Damania said the Bank is mainstreaming climate change into many of its operations in South Asia. “For instance, when roads are built, we need to make sure they can cope with the current climate risks and the trashing it may get from flooding and storms now but also into the future. We are also piloting operations that are gearing entirely to climate change, mitigating the risks, and building resilience.”
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