State of the Climate in Asia in 2025: Rising Risks and Nature-Based Solutions

Climate Chaos in Asia

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) State of the Climate in Asia 2024 (2025 )report makes clear that Asia is now experiencing climate change at an accelerated rate, with impacts ranging from deadly heatwaves to catastrophic flooding (WMO, 2025).

Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, with 2024 recorded as one of the hottest years on record for the region (WMO, 2025). Temperature anomalies reached +1.04 °C above the 1991–2020 average, a dangerous threshold for a region that holds more than half of the world’s population. A companion scientific review, the NAM S&T Centre and South Asian Meteorological Association’s Fact File on Heatwaves (2025), emphasizes that extreme heat events are becoming longer, more frequent, and more intense, with devastating impacts on health, agriculture, water, and energy systems in the developing world (NAM S&T Centre & SAMA, 2025).

Extreme Heat and Human Health

Across Asia, heatwaves are pushing human tolerance to the limit. In 2024, Myanmar and Pakistan recorded temperatures exceeding 48–50 °C, leading to widespread health emergencies (WMO, 2025). These extreme heat events are exacerbated in urban areas where the “heat island effect” compounds health risks (Li et al., 2025). The most affected are outdoor laborers, marginalized communities, and children, many of whom lack access to cooling or adequate healthcare (WMO, 2025).

Urban areas are especially vulnerable due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where built environments trap heat, worsening exposure for millions. The Heatwaves Fact File reports that in South Asia, heat stress-induced deaths could reach 85 per 100,000 people by 2100 without strong adaptation measures (NAM S&T Centre & SAMA, 2025).

Moreover, heatwaves have ripple effects across multiple systems: reduced crop yields, strained water supplies, soaring energy demand, and heightened risks for marginalized populations who lack cooling access or live in poorly ventilated housing (NAM S&T Centre & SAMA, 2025). Cities like Ahmedabad, India, have pioneered Heat Action Plans (HAPs) combining early-warning systems, public awareness, and cooling shelters to save lives, yet most regions lack such protective frameworks (Azhar et al., 2014).

Floods, Monsoon Variability, and Glacier Melt

The South Asian monsoon is increasingly erratic, with shorter but more intense rainfall periods. In 2023–2024, India, Bangladesh, and China experienced devastating floods, displacing millions and causing billions of dollars in damages (AP News, 2025). At the same time, accelerated Himalayan glacier melt is heightening river flood risk while destabilizing long-term water supplies (WMO, 2024).

Agriculture and Food Security

Erratic rainfall and soil degradation are disrupting agricultural production. Coastal farming regions face salinization from sea-level rise, while inland droughts and heatwaves reduce crop yields. Together, these threaten Asia’s position as a global food producer and undermine livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers (Perfecto et al., 2009).

Trees and Biodiversity: Nature as a Solution

While technological solutions are essential, nature itself offers some of the most cost-effective and resilient defenses against climate chaos. Trees, forests, and biodiversity-rich ecosystems provide multiple layers of protection.

Cooling Cities

Urban greening can reduce surface and air temperatures significantly. Trees cool through both shade and evapotranspiration, lowering daytime highs by up to 1.5 °C in dense canopy zones (Bowler et al., 2010). This natural cooling reduces heat-related illness and energy demand for artificial cooling.

Miyawaki Forests and Permaculture for Climate Resilience

Beyond traditional reforestation, Miyawaki forests dense, fast-growing native forests pioneered by Akira Miyawaki are being established in several Asian cities to combat heat islands, restore biodiversity, and improve air quality. These micro-forests grow up to ten times faster and are thirty times denser than conventional plantations, making them particularly effective for urban climate adaptation (Miyawaki, 1999; Sharma et al., 2021). Organizations such as Biodiversity for a Livable Climate are now implementing Miyawaki forest programs globally, emphasizing their role in restoring degraded ecosystems and strengthening community resilience. Similarly, permaculture practices, which design agricultural landscapes to mimic natural ecosystems, offer a holistic approach to sustainable food production, water conservation, and soil regeneration. By integrating trees, crops, and livestock into circular systems, permaculture enhances biodiversity while reducing vulnerability to floods and droughts (Ferguson & Lovell, 2014). Together, Miyawaki forests and permaculture embody regenerative design principles that strengthen both climate resilience and community well-being.

Flood Control and Storm Protection

Mangroves, wetlands, and forests act as natural barriers against floods and storm surges. For instance, mangroves can reduce wave energy by up to 66% within the first 100 m of forest (Alongi, 2008). Such ecosystems provide low-cost resilience for coastal Asia, where millions live in flood-prone areas.

Agroforestry and Resilient Farming

Integrating trees into farmland known as agroforestry enhances soil fertility, stabilizes yields, and reduces climate vulnerability. In South Asia, agroforestry systems are now included in climate adaptation strategies for their role in improving food security and farmer incomes (Dhyani et al., 2021).

Carbon Sequestration and Climate Mitigation

Forests are also vital in slowing global warming. They store carbon, buffer regional climate systems, and maintain biodiversity. Protecting and restoring forests is both an adaptation strategy for local resilience and a mitigation measure for global climate stability (IPCC, 2019).

Conclusion

The State of the Climate in Asia 2025 highlights a sobering reality: the region is facing rising heat, flooding, agricultural stress, and economic losses due to climate change. Yet, solutions exist within reach. By prioritizing biodiversity conservation, expanding urban forests, restoring mangroves, and embedding agroforestry in agricultural systems, Asia can build resilience while addressing the root causes of climate change.

In the chaos of a warming world, trees and biodiversity remain our most enduring lifelines - Poulomi

References

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