Climate change threatens many in Mekong region: WWF

Chisa Fujioka, Reuters 5 Oct 09;

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Changing weather patterns and rising seas are already affecting many people in Southeast Asia's Greater Mekong Basin and climate change threatens the livelihoods of millions more, a report released on Monday shows.

Intense floods and droughts, coastal erosion, higher seas and heat waves in coming decades threaten rice, fruit and coffee crops and fisheries on which many of the basin's 65 million people depend, says the report by global conservation group WWF.

"Across the region, temperatures are rising and have risen by 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the past 50 years," says the report issued on the sidelines of U.N. climate talks in the Thai capital.

"While rainy seasons may contract over parts of the region, overall rainfall is expected to rise. This means more intense rain events when they occur," it says, threatening crops and triggering floods and landslides.

The basin runs from the Tibetan plateau in China, to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, where the Mekong empties into the South China Sea.

The delta produces about half Vietnam's rice crop and 60 percent of its shrimp harvest. But rising seas and salt water intrusion threaten harvests and would likely displace farmers.

"Large human populations living in low-lying coastal areas and floodplains make the region highly vulnerable to floods, saltwater intrusion, and rising sea levels," the report said, referring to Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Hanoi.

Delegates from about 180 nations are meeting in Bangkok to try to agree on steps to expand a global effort to fight climate change. The officials are trying to refine a negotiating text that will form the basis of a new climate pact the United Nations hopes will be agreed in December.

Trying to help poorer nations adapt to the impacts of climate change is a key part of the puzzle.

"CLIMATE JUSTICE"

In the Thai capital about 2,000 farmers, fishermen and indigenous people protested in front of the U.N. conference center on Monday demanding rich nations step up efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

"Climate justice now," the crowd chanted, as some beat bamboo drums attached with posters reading: "Protect mother earth, no to corporate greed."

Indigenous people from countries including the Philippines, Malaysia and Nepal joined the protest.

"We've come to bring the farmers' voice to the U.N.," shouted a representative from a farmers' group in Indonesia as farmers in green shirts milled around the gate of the U.N. building.

Developing countries accuse the rich of failing to take the initiative in agreeing to deep emissions cuts and want them to pledge billions in funds to help them adapt to climate change and to green their economies.

Eight protesters in black suits marched with masks of each of the G8 leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama. On the back of the masks were pictures of demons.

The WWF report said more frequent and damaging droughts and floods would lead to major damage to property and loss of life. Access to water would also become tougher in the dry season.

"Warmer temperatures have contributed to declining crop yields. Storms, floods and droughts are destroying entire harvests in the Mekong basin.

"Water scarcity will constrain agricultural production and threaten food security," it added.

(Additional reporting by David Fogarty; Editing by Jerry Norton)

Mekong countries need to ready themselves for climate impacts
WWF 2 Oct 09;

Temperatures are predicted to rise between 2ºC to 4ºC in the Greater Mekong region by the end of the century negatively affecting the area which is one of the most biologically diverse in the world.
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Bangkok, Thailand - The Greater Mekong region is already strongly affected by climate change and a lack of immediate action will come at great cost to the region, states a new WWF report released during the UN climate change talks in Bangkok.

Average daily temperatures across Southeast Asia have already increased between 0.5 and 1.5ºC over the last 50 years, and temperatures are predicted to rise between 2ºC to 4ºC in the Greater Mekong region by the end of the century. These changes have negatively affected the area, which is one of the most biologically diverse in the world.

“Greater regional cooperation and coordination among Mekong nations is necessary to best cope with the impacts of climate change,” said Geoffrey Blate, Climate Change Coordinator for the WWF Greater Mekong Programme. “Maintaining ecosystem health across borders and over a larger areas is likely the most cost efficient and effective long term adaptation strategy available.”

Already sea level rise is threatening the region’s coastal communities and changes to the climate are stressing ecosystems. Land is being lost in coastal zones, glacial melting in the Himalayas may impact the region’s major river flows, and wetlands will either dry up or flood out.

Such climate changes exacerbate current regional pressures such as habitat loss, poorly planned infrastructure and unsustainable natural resource extraction, further degrading the ecosystems upon which the region’s social and economic future depends.

In its report, WWF recommends three key climate change adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability across the region, which comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southwest provinces of China. These strategies include the protection of regional ecosystems, a reduction in non-climate stresses such as unsustainable infrastructure and over extraction of natural resources, and the implementation of a regional climate change adaptation agreement.
“There is a leadership opportunity here to champion what would be Asia’s first regional climate change adaptation agreement to help Greater Mekong nations prepare for the inevitable impacts of climate change,” said Blate.

But the report stresses that without decisive action on a global scale it would be very hard to avoid the worst impacts. It urges politicians to strike an ambitious and fair agreement on a climate treaty at upcoming talks in Copenhagen.

“Rich and developed nations must make deep emission cuts and commit to significant financial help to assist vulnerable regions such as the Greater Mekong,” said Kim Carstensen, Leader, WWF Global Climate Initiative.

Greater Mekong Climate Report 3.12 MB pdf