Opinion

Fighting climate change

Fighting climate change

By Kijin Kim

Climate change is a growing threat to prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. The region is the most vulnerable to the ravages of climate change. In fact, ADB estimates that from 2006 to 2015, extreme climate-related weather events caused an annual $46 billion in economic and social losses as well as over 330,000 fatalities in developing Asia. This damage bill was exacerbated by a lack of climate-resilient infrastructure. Taking urgent action to combat climate change and building infrastructure that can withstand its impacts are critical, therefore, to achieving sustainable development in the region. Using advanced technology when building or upgrading infrastructure can help reduce climate-related risks, and climate-resilient technology is already being incorporated into infrastructure in various sectors. The transport sector, for example, is gravitating towards climate-proofing techniques such as applying concrete mixes that are more durable... — blog.adb.org/blogs