Asia's major cities at risk of rising water levels
Friday, 24 October 2008
FE Report
Many of Asia's major cities are at risk of rising water levels due to climate change, and more needs to be done now to mitigate the impact this will have on their populations and assets.
This is one of the key findings contained in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme's (UN-HABITAT) annual flagship report, this year entitled State of the World's Cities 2008/9: Harmonious Cities.
The report finds that more than half of the cities in the developing world which are most vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by climate change are in Asia - with 18 of the region's 20 largest cities located on a coast, a river bank or in a delta.
South-east Asia, where more than one-third of the urban population lives in low elevation coastal zones - the continuous area that is less than 10 metres above sea level - is particularly vulnerable.
Port cities, such as Mumbai and Shanghai, which have high concentrations of people and economic assets, will be most severely affected physically and economically if mitigation plans are not put in place.
Also, by 2070, urban populations in cities located in river deltas, such as Dhaka, Kolkata and Yangon, will join the group of the most exposed populations.
Port cities in Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Vietnam and India will have joined the ranks of cities whose assets are most exposed.
Many of Asia's major cities are at risk of rising water levels due to climate change, and more needs to be done now to mitigate the impact this will have on their populations and assets.
This is one of the key findings contained in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme's (UN-HABITAT) annual flagship report, this year entitled State of the World's Cities 2008/9: Harmonious Cities.
The report finds that more than half of the cities in the developing world which are most vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by climate change are in Asia - with 18 of the region's 20 largest cities located on a coast, a river bank or in a delta.
South-east Asia, where more than one-third of the urban population lives in low elevation coastal zones - the continuous area that is less than 10 metres above sea level - is particularly vulnerable.
Port cities, such as Mumbai and Shanghai, which have high concentrations of people and economic assets, will be most severely affected physically and economically if mitigation plans are not put in place.
Also, by 2070, urban populations in cities located in river deltas, such as Dhaka, Kolkata and Yangon, will join the group of the most exposed populations.
Port cities in Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Vietnam and India will have joined the ranks of cities whose assets are most exposed.