Study predicts more severe droughts in Southeast Asia
Future scenarios of drought in many parts of Southeast Asia may become more frequent and intense if actions are not taken now to build resilience, according to the latest joint study by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Hanoi (VNA) - Futurescenarios of drought in many parts of Southeast Asia may become more frequentand intense if actions are not taken now to build resilience, according to thelatest joint study by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and thePacific (ESCAP) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The study shows that the cumulativeimpacts of drought in the region strikes hardest at the poor and heightens inequality, aswell as degrades land and increases the prospects of violent conflict.
Droughts can also be particularly damaging incountries where many people rely on agriculture for primary employment, it said.
According to the report, 61 percent of population in Laos, 41 percent inVietnam, 31 percent in Indonesia, 27 percent in Cambodia and 26 percent in thePhilippines depend on agriculture.
The study proposes three priority areas of intervention for ESCAP and ASEAN,including strengthening drought risk assessment and early warning services,fostering risk financing instruments and enhancing people’s capacities to adaptto drought.
ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi said priority areas mentioned in thereport will contribute to developing policy responses to mitigate the impact offuture drought and eventually will strengthen efforts on building the ASEANCommunity that is resilient to drought.
Over the last three decades, drought affects over 66 million people on theSoutheast Asian region.
The study was produced as part of ESCAP andASEAN’s close collaboration on disaster risk reduction under the ASEAN-UN JointStrategic Plan of Action on Disaster Management.-VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: internet) 
