Asia was most impacted by extreme weather and climate in 2023, UN report shows

Asia was the most disaster-hit region in the world last year as extreme weather and climate threats intensified amid global warming, according to the World Meteorological Organization, the UN's weather agency.

"Many countries in the region experienced their hottest year on record in 2023, along with a barrage of extreme conditions, from droughts and heatwaves to floods and storms," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in a report released this week.  

More than 9 million people on the continent were affected by the floods and storms, leading to over 2,000 casualties. Meanwhile, a trend of increased heat waves in the region continued. 

"Climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of such events, profoundly impacting societies, economies and, most importantly, human lives," Saulo added. 

The report warned that key climate change indicators, such as surface temperature, glacier melting, and sea level rise, signaled worsening conditions and the need for greater disaster risk prevention in Asia.

In 2023, the mean temperature over Asia was the second highest on record.

"With the warming trend almost doubling since the period from 1960–1990, Asia is heating up faster than the global average, with increased casualties and economic losses," according to WMO's report. 

Particularly high temperatures last year were seen in areas from western Siberia to central Asia, and from eastern China to Japan, while countries like Japan and Kazakhstan experienced record heat, the report found.

According to a NASA report, increased temperatures are associated with variations in precipitation and increased frequency of both drought and extreme water events. Other scientists have also warned that sustained periods of dryness can