THE deadly forest fires enveloping swathes of territory in Australia are the latest and most dramatic illustration of the devastating impact of human-induced climate change. Yet policymakers show no urgency to reverse climate change, as evidenced by the collapse of COP 25 climate summit in Madrid late last year. A way forward is to strengthen public understanding of the ongoing climate disaster, which could swing public opinion in favour of taking action.

A recently published journal article ("Impacts of Carbon Dioxide Emissions on Global Intense Hydrometeorological Disasters", in Climate, Disaster and Development Journal) provides the connection between rising carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere and the uptick in flood and storm disasters across the globe. It says that if the current trend of accumulation of carbon dioxide continues, extreme floods and storms will double within 13 years. This scenario will severely strain the capabilities of the region to cope.

The stakes are very high for South-east Asia because its baseline of natural calamities is already among the highest in the world. A recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report notes that South-east Asia is one of the most vulnerable areas in the world to climate-related weather disasters, but also one that is not adequately prepared to withstand the risk. Furthermore, this group of countries is also witnessing one of the world's biggest jump in greenhouse gas emissions.