FACING CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES IN SOUTH ASIA: THE ROLE OF SAARC

Abstract

Global climate change in recent years has turned into a complex phenomenon. The issue has drawn widespread attention globally. South Asia is a region which Occupies about 5 percent of the world’s total landmass and 20 percent of the World’s total population which is exacted to rise about 25 percent by 2025. Over The years, South Asia countries are becoming affected with multitude of climate Related hazards including cyclone, foods, drought’s extreme temperatures, glacial Lake Outburst (GLOFs) and storm surges. Climate dose not maintain national Boundary, therefore, combined efforts are essential to mitigate such calamities. Regional arrangements are considered essential to face climate change challenges. The paper examines initiatives of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on climate change issue and tries to recommend what further steps the Organization can adopt in this regard. Although SAARC has take some initiatives, more Concrete and coordinated actions are necessary to face the calamities of climate change.

Introduction

Climate change is neither an ancient phenomenon nor of the distant future. There is scientific consensus that the earth is warming up and climate change is happening everywhere.1 climate change is one of the greatest threats the world is facing today. Although the issue is a global phenomenon, the impacts of it will not be felt in equal proportion across the world. it is irrefutable the impacts are likely to differ in both magnitude and rate of changes in different continents, countries and regions.2

South Asian countries are facing negative impacts of climate change on their lives and livelihoods. They are facing multiple climate induced hazards like floods, droughts, cyclones, extreme temperatures, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) and others. the fourth report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) and first assessment report of Indian network of climate change Assessment (INCCA) confirm that climate change is likely to increase the frequency and intensity of climate related hazards and also the emergence of new catastrophes that could manifest in the form of sea level rise and new vulnerabilities with various spatial and socio-economic impacts on communities. 3 Such natural disasters may have profound impacts on coastal areas, hydrological cycle, glaciers or mountain areas, water areas, forest and ecosystem and it would be disastrous for the people of south Asia. Thus, climate change is not merely an environmental phenomenon rather one with severe socio-economic implications. 4 As the countries face similar types of threats emanating from climate change, combined action is necessary to face such challenges. Being a regional entity, south Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is expected to play an important role in mitigating negative impacts of climate change in the region.

In this respect, the main objectives of the paper are to assess impacts of climate change in SAARC member states and to evaluate the contribution of SAARC to face climatic calamities.

To address the above mentioned issues, the paper is divided into five sections including introduction. Section two discusses impact of climate change in South Asia. Section three focuses the initiative taken by SAARC on the issue of climate change. Section four makes an appraisal. Section five ends with conclusion.