Asia warming twice as fast as rest of world: WMO

Asia is currently warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, fuelling more extreme weather conditions and wreaking a heavy toll on the region’s economies, ecosystems and societies.

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This alarming revelation has been made in the State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The report said in 2024, the average temperature in Asia was about 1.04°C above the 1991-2020 average, making it either the warmest or second warmest year on record. Also, the warming seen between 1991–2024 was almost double the trend seen during the 1961-1990.

The report said in the last year, heatwaves gripped a record area of the ocean. Sea surface temperatures were the highest on record, with Asia’s sea surface decadal warming rate nearly double the global average. Sea surface temperatures influence extreme rainfall patterns in India.

“The rise in sea level on the Pacific and Indian Ocean sides of the continent exceeded the global average, heightening risks for low-lying coastal areas,” the report said.

Reduced winter snowfall and extreme summer heat led to an increase in hazards like floods triggered by glacial lake bursts and landslides and long-term risks for water security. In the central Himalayas and Tian Shan, 23 out of 24 glaciers suffered mass loss, the report said.

Extreme rainfall wreaked havoc and heavy casualties in many countries in the region, and tropical cyclones left a trail of destruction, while drought caused heavy economic and agricultural losses.

“The State of the Climate in Asia report highlights the changes in key climate indicators such as surface temperature, glacier mass and sea level, which will have major repercussions for societies, economies and ecosystems in the region. Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, WMO.

Saswata Sanyal, Disaster Risk Reduction Lead, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), said: “The WMO report rightly emphasises the urgent need for anticipatory action in the face of escalating climate-induced disasters. This proactive approach is crucial for anticipating and mitigating disaster impacts before they fully unfold.”

Sher Muhammad, remote sensing specialist, ICMOD, said: “These observations largely coincide with what is being seen across the HKH region as well. Seasonal snowmelt contributes approximately 25% of annual river flows on average across the HKH, rising even higher in western basins — yet continual snow deficits are eroding this critical source, triggering early-summer water shortages, heat stress, and worry among downstream communities.”