The impact of climate change in South Asian counties are listed below. It is sourced from WB’s South Asia Climate Change Strategy 2009, pp. 56-59.
Afghanistan
- Exposure of agriculture (pasture), ecosystems and water resources to drought and desertification
- Flooding from glacial melt and long run vulnerability of depletion of water supplies of glacial-fed rivers
- Water and food insecurity, malnutrition and possible migration
and conflict
Bangladesh
- Combined impacts of sea level rise and glacial melt lead to increased incidence of flooding and land loss
- Drought in some areas
- More intense cyclones
- Lower agricultural output through diminished yields and loss of land
- Increased incidence of heat-related illnesses, water-borne diseases, poverty, child and infant mortality; lower access to safe water and sanitation and possible migration
- Loss of biodiversity in coastal ecosystems – Sunderbans at high risk
- Mitigation Issues: Increased coal dependence (risks of early transition to coal)
Bhutan
- Damages from glacial melt
- Impact of increased temperature on rangelands and agriculture
- Potential loss of forest biodiversity due to vegetation shift and increased incidence of forest fire due to temperature increase
India
- Exposure of agriculture, water resources, and ecosystems to extreme weather events and more variable precipitation
- Impact of glacial melt on water resources quantity, biodiversity and low-lying agriculture
- Increased heat-related illnesses and water-borne diseases and changes in epidemiological patterns
- Impacts on urban infrastructure including drainage, water and sanitation
- Vegetation shift in forests and biodiversity, regime shifts in rangelands, decreased agricultural yields in tropics and subtropics
- Increased exposure to sea level rise
- Mitigation issues:
- Increased emissions from energy production and transformation, transport, urban, agriculture, industrial and residential sectors due to economic growth and urbanization
- Impact of climate change upon carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems, other biomass and soils
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Maldives
- Ecosystem damages and loss of protection afforded by coral reefs
- Inundation of islands due to sea level rise and physical damages from flooding
- Increased salinity of groundwater resources
- Possible migration and large scale relocation
Nepal
- Decline in agricultural production in some areas
- Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) and future desiccation of water resources due to rapid glacial melt and impact on dependent ecosystems and agriculture
- Impact of vegetation shift to forest biodiversity
- Likely outbreak of malaria and similar diseases
- Mitigation issues:
- Impacts on carbon sequestration of vegetation shifts and forest productivity changes
- Land-use changes due to future development
- Slash-burn agricultural practices
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Pakistan
- Increased intensity and frequency of drought and effects on agriculture (pasture), water resources and ecosystems (wetlands)
- Initial flooding and future drying of water resources due to glacial melt and impact on water consumption
- Damages of sea level rise
- Outbreak of heat related and insect-transmitted diseases, malnutrition, food and water insecurity, migration and conflict
- Mitigation issues:
- Increased emissions from energy, transport and urban sectors
- Emissions from agriculture and rangeland degradation
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Sri Lanka
- Reduced crop yields due to temperature increase
- Sea level rise - damages upon settlements, industries and livelihoods in coastal areas
- Salt water intrusion in agriculture, freshwater and groundwater
- Ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss in coastal and marine ecosystems
- Mitigation issues:
- Release of stored forest carbon due to land-use changes
- Increase in thermal power
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