Climate change is everywhere, but underdeveloped nations are bearing the burden of its most devastating impacts.
The vulnerable geography and population density of coastal Southeast Asian countries puts them at a particularly high risk of experiencing the effects of climate change. Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm Southeast Asia has experienced in the past 30 years, illustrates the growing danger. The storm, whose wind speeds exceeded 120 km/h, destroyed homes and livelihoods, causing severe flooding and landslides. The impact of the storm was felt throughout the entirety of the region, from the Philippines, where it claimed over a dozen lives, to Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. UNICEF reports that 325 people were either dead or missing. The intensity of such storms is escalating due to warming oceans, which provide more energy to fuel the storms, leading to increased wind speeds and heavier rainfall.
CNN journalist Kathleen Magramo outlines the event, stating a critical point: “While developed nations bear a greater historical responsibility for the human-induced climate crisis, developing nations and small-island states are suffering the worst impacts.” She poignantly ties this environmental disaster to a larger dynamic—those least responsible for the climate crisis are the ones paying the highest price.
Developed countries, including the United States, the European Union, and China, contribute massively to global emissions. The U.S. alone emits 19.0 tons of CO2 per capita, while China, the world’s largest overall polluter, produced 14,400 metric tons of CO2 in 2022. However, these wealthier nations have the infrastructure and resources to recover when disaster strikes. Southeast Asian countries, by contrast, are far less equipped to cope with such catastrophes. Southeast Asian infrastructure, while improving, remains critically underfunded. The Asian Development Bank states that developing nations in Southeast Asia will need to invest $26 trillion to respond to meet infrastructure needs and brace for the effects of climate change.
The effects of climate change are far-reaching. Public health systems are under strain as natural disasters contaminate water supplies, while famine threatens vulnerable communities as crop yields dwindle and food deserts grow. Even education suffers, as families often pull children from school to help recover lost income following climate-induced calamities.
So what now? How can we aid Southeast Asia as they face the devastating impact of climate change? First, the world’s highest emitters must take accountability by significantly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Next, aid must be provided by these nations to developing Southeast Asian countries so that they are equipped to respond to natural disasters as they occur. Additionally, Southeast Asian governments should prioritize building resilient infrastructure, with a focus on disaster-proof development and ensuring access to clean water.
Typhoon Yagi serves as a poignant reminder of a larger truth: Climate change is real and developed nations are to blame.
Sources Referenced:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/27/asia/thai-crocodile-farmer-typhoon-yagi-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/unicef-emergency-appeal-typhoon-yagi-viet-nam
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/13/asia/typhoon-yagi-most-powerful-storm-photos-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/12/us/countries-climate-change-emissions-cop28/