Regional Cooperation on Climate Change in South Asia

Abstract

Emanating non-traditional threats to South Asia in the near future would be far bigger than those of traditional threats. At the current juncture, climate change, ostensibly,is a bigger threat than terrorism and extremism. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the world’s 5th, 7th and 10th most vulnerable countries to climate change respectively. By 2050 sea level in India is predicted to rise by around 15–38 centimetres placing its major cities and economic hubs at risk. More than 40 per cent of Indians by 2030 will not have access to clean water. Between 1990 and 2008, 750 million people nearly 50% of South Asia’s population were affected by at least one type of disaster, resulting in almost 230,000 deaths. The severe implications of climate change are long-lasting for South Asia. The greater responsibility, thus, lies on regional countries to start regional cooperation to save this crucial region from the foreseen threats of climate change. Climate change is the only issue affecting all members of SAARC, bringing overlapping interests among them to craft regional cooperation to cope with foreseen climate change challenges.This paper, henceforth, will analyze the impacts of climate change on South Asia and will examine regional cooperation to mitigate climate change challenges.