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Lack of data slows Asia-Pacific's response to climate change
MANILA, Philippines (22 August 2024) — Policymakers in the Asia-Pacific region are struggling to collect and analyse the data needed to respond effectively to climate change, hindering efforts in the regions considered most vulnerable to the effects of global warming.
A new survey released today by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) finds that some national statistical offices in the region are understaffed with climate data, while others lack dedicated units. A majority of respondents said that access to geographically detailed data was fair at best for many types of data, including drivers of climate change such as fossil fuel use and total greenhouse gas emissions. Critical data on ecosystems, infrastructure, specific geographic areas, and impacts on water security are lacking.
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than half of global greenhouse gas emissions and is more affected by disasters and other climate risks than any other region. Without quality data and analytical capacity, policymakers in the region cannot develop effective, targeted responses to address the causes and impacts of climate change, or assess their effectiveness.
“The Asia-Pacific region is on the front line of the fight against climate change,” said Albert Park, chief economist at the Asian Development Bank. “The extreme heat and devastating floods we've seen in recent months show what's at stake. We need high-quality data and strong statistical capacity to avoid policy blind spots and ensure strategies to tackle the climate crisis are well-informed. This means we need to invest in statistical systems, people and institutions. The costs of not doing so will be much higher than the costs of these investments.”
The ADB survey of 29 national statistical offices in Asia and the Pacific was released as part of its Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2024. The report explains how data and statistics can play a key role in the fight against climate change.
For example, good data will enable more localized monitoring of the impacts of climate change, providing context for more effective data-driven, evidence-based policy responses. Geographically granular data can also help identify areas where policy prioritization is needed and allocate resources where they are most needed.
The report notes that national statistical offices face challenges not only from limited capacity and lack of access to climate data, but also from a lack of harmonized definitions and methodologies. Asked about the reasons for these shortcomings, survey respondents cited a lack of technical staff, limited financial resources, methodological and technical issues, lack of coordination with other stakeholders, and climate change data not being seen as a priority.
The report includes a special supplement focused on the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) standard, which provides a comprehensive framework to streamline data activities that help Asia-Pacific economies design and implement effective, data-driven, and evidence-based policies. By adopting the SDMX standard, countries will be able to collect, exchange, analyze, and disseminate statistical data that will help address climate change.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 member countries, 49 of which are in the region.
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