亚开行-人类与地球：应对亚洲及太平洋地区气候变化、贫困和饥饿等相互关联的挑战（英）-2024.2-96页_4mb

Climate Change and the Interlinked Challenges of Poverty and Hunger in Asia and the Pacific

Introduction

Climate change poses a significant threat to the region's sustainable development, exacerbating poverty and hunger by undermining food production and livelihoods. Despite progress in reducing extreme poverty, recent gains have stalled or reversed due to climate change impacts, conflict, global crises, and limited coping capacity among vulnerable populations.

Chapter 1: Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty and Hunger

• Climate Change Effects: Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events like floods and droughts severely impact crop yields, fisheries, and livestock. Projections indicate significant yield declines for major crops if emissions are not reduced substantially.
• Vulnerability Distribution: Poorer countries and communities bear the brunt of climate impacts, with limited capacity to adapt. Poor households face disproportionate asset losses and are forced into debt cycles.
• Gender Disparities: Women are more exposed to climate risks and less able to adapt, particularly in agriculture and informal employment. Climate change disproportionately affects women's health, livelihoods, and decision-making power.
• Displacement: Between 2010-2021, climate-related disasters displaced 213.5 million people in the region, with Pacific Small Island Developing States facing existential threats from sea-level rise.

Chapter 2: Solutions and Good Practices

• Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Climate-smart agriculture, agroecology, and precision farming enhance productivity while building resilience. Examples include alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice cultivation and laser land leveling.
• Decent Work and Just Transition: The energy transition must prioritize inclusive job creation and reskilling, especially for workers in fossil fuel industries. Social protection systems need to be strengthened to support vulnerable groups during transitions.
• Climate-Resilient Social Protection: Innovative approaches like parametric insurance and cash transfers help communities cope with climate impacts. Integrating social protection and disaster recovery mechanisms has shown effectiveness in countries like the Philippines and Fiji.

Chapter 3: Key Enablers for Transformative Change

• Education and Capacity Building: Strengthening climate-related knowledge and skills is critical at all levels, from farmers to policymakers.
• Policy Coherence: Climate, poverty reduction, and food security policies must be integrated to leverage synergies and manage trade-offs.
• Institutional Capacity: Robust institutions are needed to assess and govern climate risks, including investment in data systems and early warning mechanisms.
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Financial innovations like payment for ecosystem services and tree banks can attract private investment in climate resilience.
• Finance and Investment: Closing the climate finance gap requires mobilizing domestic resources, enhancing access to international climate funds, and developing innovative financial products.
• Regional Cooperation: Strengthening transboundary cooperation through platforms like the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation can facilitate knowledge sharing and coordinated climate action.

Conclusion

Addressing the complex interplay of climate change, poverty, and hunger requires transformative change through integrated approaches. By leveraging key enablers and enhancing regional cooperation, the Asia-Pacific region can build climate resilience while advancing toward the Sustainable Development Goals.