State of the Climate in Asia 2020

The report highlights the major climate trends through universally agreed climate change indicators, addressing land and sea temperatures, glacial retreat, sea level rise, and decreasing sea-ice extent in addition to high impact events which affected the region during 2020. Weather and climate hazards, especially floods, storms, and droughts, highlighted in the report, had significant impacts in many countries of the region—affecting agriculture and food security, contributing to increased displacement and vulnerability of migrants, refugees, and displaced people, worsening health risks, and exacerbating environmental issues and losses of natural ecosystems. Combined, these impacts take a significant toll on long term sustainable development, and progress toward the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in particular.