A recent report from the United Nations highlights troubling developments regarding global warming, particularly for Asia, where temperatures are rising at nearly twice the global average. This alarming trend poses significant risks to the continent's 4.6 billion residents.

The rapid increase in temperatures is largely attributed to the high populations in countries like India and China, along with other populous nations such as Bangladesh and Indonesia. The World Meteorological Organization's 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report aligns with record levels of the three main greenhouse gases—carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide—reaching unprecedented heights in 2023.

Larger populations contribute to greater carbon emissions and greenhouse gas outputs, compounded by the reliance of major industrial nations in Asia on fossil fuels, while the transition to renewable energy sources remains slow.

From 1991 to 2024, Asia's warming rate has nearly doubled compared to the period from 1961 to 1990, primarily because land heats up more quickly than oceans.

The consequences have been dire, with record heatwaves affecting Japan, South Korea, China, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, leading to numerous natural disasters.

Typhoon Yagi, which impacted Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and China, resulted in over 1,000 fatalities. In Kerala, heavy rains and landslides claimed more than 350 lives, while record rainfall in Nepal led to 246 deaths. The UAE recorded its heaviest rainfall since 1949, with similar weather patterns affecting Bahrain, Oman, and Iran.

Beyond immediate impacts, long-term effects are even more concerning. Sea levels along Asia's Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts are rising faster than the global average, threatening low-lying coastal communities. This rise is also altering ocean currents and marine ecosystems, potentially changing storm patterns and harming marine life.

Mountainous regions in Asia are facing unprecedented challenges as reduced snowfall and increasing heatwaves lead to rapid glacier melt in the central Himalayas and the Tian Shan region of Central Asia. Out of 24 monitored glaciers, 23 lost ice mass in 2024, resulting in glacial lake outbursts and significant flooding.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that every 0.5-degree Celsius rise in global temperatures will significantly increase the frequency and severity of extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and regional droughts. With Asia's temperature rise exceeding the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, the threat of a climate-related catastrophe looms large without urgent corrective measures.