Surname 1 Climate Change in the Asia Pacific Region Introduction The scientific documentary titled Human Extinction by 2030 -The Crisis of Civilization! is a popular documentary film produced and directed by Dean Puckett. The film focuses on the impacts of anthropogenic forces, which research scientists believe will cause the extinction of all species in a couple of decades (Puckett). The theme of the film mainly revolves around climate change, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Puckett demonstrates an understanding of the global impacts that climate change will have on the society if human activities are not controlled. The Asia Pacific region is increasingly becoming vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to the intensified storms and rising sea levels. A new breed of migrants termed as “climate refugees” have been created due to the displacement of people (Puckett). Climate change threatens the existence of island states, for instance, the Maldives and low-lying countries such as Bangladesh, where the sea level is gradually rising to cover the very land people reside on, endangering their lives. The documentary by Puckett addresses the practical aspect of climate change, its strengths, weaknesses, and the geographical implications it has on the entire AsiaPacific region. Basic characteristics of climate change constitute certain aspects such as increasing average global temperatures, changing cloud cover and precipitation, melting of the ice caps, and declining snow cover over time. The causes of climate change are either human or nature-based. Global warming results mainly from human factors that contribute to most of the greenhouse gasses released into the environment. Extreme natural disasters that occur around the world today, for instance, tropical cyclones, droughts, and floods, are said to be a direct result of Surname 2 climate change (“Climate in Asia and The Pacific” 19). The storms are as a consequence of the excess moisture in the atmosphere that has evaporated from surface water bodies like lakes and oceans. The natural disasters affect people in numerous adverse ways. Cyclones, for instance, destroy human settlement areas and damage the infrastructure, comprising energy, water, telecommunication, and transport facilities. Consequently, massive financial resources are required to rehabilitate the entire system. International non-governmental organizations are supporting research on the potential of creating appropriate adaptation strategies and policies. Local communities at the grass root level are involved in identifying potential climate change adaptation policies in the development agenda. On small islands where relocation is not possible, alternative engineering solutions are given to deal with the challenges that result from natural environmental calamities (“Climate in Asia and The Pacific”18). The availability of open climatic data is essential in the countries of the Asian Pacific region to conduct a thorough risk assessment in line with the regional framework. Practical Relevance, Strengths, Weaknesses, and Geographical Implications of the Documentary Human Extinction by 2030 -The Crisis of Civilization! displays the impact that climate change will have on the health, safety, and livelihood of people living in the Asian Pacific region (Puckett). The documentary explicitly demonstrates how the concept of global warming will create future barriers in reducing poverty levels and socioeconomic standards achieved by the countries in the area. Notably, an upsurge has been recorded in the intensity and frequency of natural hazards such as tropical cyclones, dry spells, snow avalanches, intense rainfall, heat Surname 3 waves, severe dust storms, and thunderstorms, which have caused insurmountable losses to the affected communities. It is highly alarming that most of the deaths in the world result from natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region. The issue of climate change and variability threaten the poor farmers and marginalized communities living in remote areas, such as dry lands, mountains, and deserts (“Climate Change Impacts” 1). Such regions have poor infrastructural systems, limited natural resources, and weak institutions, which cannot withstand the impacts that arise as a result of Mother Nature fighting back the human activities that have led to increased global warming. Researchers have devised various climate models that predict the rise in temperature in the coming decades globally. In the Asia Pacific region, the temperatures are said to rapidly increase in the arid areas of Pakistan, China, and India (“Climate Change Impacts” 2). The rainfall concentration indicates patterns of irregularity, with more rainfall during the summer monsoon season. Scientists believe that the global sea level will increase regionally, causing tropical cyclones and changes in weather cycles. All the stated climatic changes are estimated to affect millions of people by causing hunger, diseases, and loss of livelihoods. The topic of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region is becoming emergent in the national forums as leaders try to find a way forward to deal with the issue effectively. The region is susceptible to the consequences of global warming due to exposure to monsoons, cyclones, and the El Nino southern oscillation (“Climate Change Impacts” 3). The region relies mostly on the monsoon for rainfall to practice agriculture, leaving it helpless when the monsoons do not occur. Furthermore, the countries in the region experience storm surges, high winds, and extreme rainfall patterns, all of which may change with the increasing anthropogenic patterns degrading the natural environment. Surname 4 The sensitivity of various nations and sectors has further increased the vulnerability of the Asia Pacific region to the hazards that result from global warming. The developing countries face potential risks since most of their economic power lies in agricultural production, which, in turn, directly relies on water accessibility to thrive (“Climate Change Impacts” 2). Moreover, the access to safe drinking water is compromised by the diminishing water resources, ultimately affecting the sanitation standards. When floods and drought occur, it becomes difficult to manage the water storage diversion due to the inadequate facilities. Factors such as urbanization and economic development have increased the rapid exploitation and degradation of natural resources, reducing the resilience of nations in the region to combat climate change. Some national economies, such as India and China, have enhanced their capacities to manage the climatic risks by improving their economy, infrastructure, technological development, and managerial conditions (“Climate Change Impacts” 2). On the other hand, other countries, including the small island states, have not adopted any changes, owing to the limited resources available and their focus on the short-term developmental projects. The sustainable economic growth of most countries in the Asia Pacific region will be affected negatively by the looming climate change crisis. The costs of managing water resources, coastlines, disease outbreaks, and the loss of agricultural revenue will have a ripple effect on the economy of the region. The long-term impacts have a declining effect on the welfare and regional capacity to manage the risk effectively. Expectedly, the insurance claims placed on the global economic damage from adverse impacts of climate change amount to billions of dollars every year (“Climate Change Impacts” 3). Surname 5 Global warming affects many sectors, each having its distinctiveness. The sectors include ecosystems, agriculture, water, ecosystems, and coastal zones. Agriculture. The rural areas depend on agriculture as the key source of their livelihood. The sector heavily relies on weather attributes, such as rainfall and temperature, to produce considerable yields. In many parts of Asia, the production of wheat, maize, and rice has declined as a result of water stress due to fluctuations in temperature and El Nino occurrences (“Climate Change Impacts” 3). The climate change impacts are said to significantly influence the food security in the region because of its reliance on the the production of seasonal crops. Water. The rapidly growing population in the region necessitates proper planning to ensure a secure supply of water resources. Climate change has modified the availability of water resources in parts of South and Southeast Asia and has led to an increased supply of runoff water in the Pacific islands. The temperature increase has occasioned glacier melting at the Himalayas Mountains, resulting in the region becoming more prone to floods and rock avalanches (“Climate Change Impacts” 5). If the glaciers continue to recede, the level of freshwater availability in most areas of the Asian-Pacific will reduce as well. Ecosystems. The ecosystems in the Asian Pacific region contain some of the most unique and endangered species on earth. The environmental components contribute directly to the economies of the area through the provision of water and food resources that sustain the requirements of the people. However, the pressure of human activities and land use changes are threatening the existence of the natural ecosystems by reducing their resilience capacities (“Climate Change Impacts” 4). The disappearance and extinction of coral reef communities, mangrove wetlands, and forests can be attributed to climate change. Surname 6 Temperature variations lead to coral and mangrove sensitivity, particularly in the Pacific islands, which have the largest collection of coral communities globally. Failure to correct the situation will destroy the coral and mangrove forests. Consequently, their benefits, such as fisheries production, beach defense, and tourist attraction will not be felt any longer. Additionally, the low precipitation rates in the delta areas of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have led to degradation of ecosystems and wetlands exsiccation, posing a serious threat to the natural ecosystem (“Climate Change Impacts” 4). As a solution, embracing efficient land administration would facilitate better conservation techniques of the ecosystem to preserve the resources for future sustainability purposes. Coastal Zones. The coastal areas of South East Asia, including Kolkata, Bangkok, Manila, and Hoh Chi Minh cities, are prone to flooding. The projected rise in the sea levels is said to affect the geology, population growth, and geography of the coastal zones (“Climate Change Impacts” 3). Those at significant risk are the poor populace living in the lowlands of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India, who might be displaced following a sea-level rise. Conclusion Climate change effects are projected to lead to instabilities in ecosystems, insufficient natural resources, forced human migration, and global sea level rise in the Asia Pacific region. The implications of changing climatic patterns have had diverse effects on the ecosystem, coastal areas, agriculture productivity, and water sectors. In order to mitigate the threat, the societies and policy makers are devising creative concepts and ideas on how to properly adapt and prevent the challenges associated with the increasing climate change. However, the measures seem to fail in tackling the actual factors that cause climate change. Therefore, unless governments unite to find a lasting solution, the world will continue to face severe consequences. Surname 7 Works Cited “Climate Change Impacts in the Asia/Pacific Region.” IFAD, www.ifad.org/documents/10180/88baa1cf-4661-4077-9292-84dfff5253f0. Accessed March 19, 2017. “Climate In Asia and The Pacific: A Synthesis of APN Activities Asia-Pacific Network for GlobalChangeResearch.” APN, 2011, www.apngcr.org/resources/files/original/24c137e4d955df5a8c7bd8a83d1bb5ae.pdf. Accessed March 19, 2017. Puckett, Dean. “Human Extinction by 2030 -The Crisis of Civilization!” YouTube, uploaded by Thomas Walker, January 19, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vApEgrLf7S4.
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