Asean is disproportionately affected by climate change. This also presents opportunities

IN REMARKS on Asean Day on Aug 8, Asean secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn sounded the alarm bells on climate change, warning that communities in South-east Asia are being threatened by extreme weather events.

Much of the region comprises tropical countries, which makes the effects of climate change – including rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events – more severe than average.

Already, data indicates that Asean and wider Asia account for 41 per cent of global flooding, caused by rising sea levels and storm surges.