S1E73: The race to adapt in Asia as climate risks grow: Green Pulse

Synopsis: The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing
environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.


Record heatwaves, floods and storms. The headlines bear witness
to a world facing greater weather extremes threatening people and
nature. A major report from the UN’s top climate science body
last month underscored the growing risks. As the world gets
hotter, climate change impacts are intensifying, affecting
ecosystems, people, settlements, and infrastructure.


In its report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or
IPCC, said there was clear evidence of increases in the frequency
and intensity of climate and weather extremes, including hot
extremes on land and in the ocean, plus heavy rainfall events,
drought and fire weather.


Climate change has caused substantial damage, and increasingly
irreversible losses, to the natural world, including coral reefs
and some forests. Climate change is also driving increased food
insecurity and contributing to humanitarian crises. And unless
greenhouse emissions are quickly reined in, the impacts will only
accelerate, placing more people and nature at greater risk.


With such a worrying outlook, the IPCC report outlines the
importance of adapting to climate impacts but finds such efforts
are patchy and in need of greater funding and coordination. In
this episode, ST environment correspondent Audrey Tan and climate
change editor David Fogarty discuss the findings of the report
with one of its lead authors, Dr Chandni Singh, Senior Research
Consultant at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in
Bangalore. She tells us more about the vital need to boost
adaptation efforts but also the limits. 


Highlights (click/tap above):


01:18 Dr Chandni on big findings about Asia from the report


04:21 How is climate change affecting human societies? 


07:13 How are natural ecosystems going to be affected by climate
change? 


09:50 Which segments of society are more vulnerable to climate
impacts? 


16:10 What are soft and hard limits to adaptation?


Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty
(dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Paxton Pang


Edited by: Teo Tong Kai


Follow Green Pulse Podcast episodes out here every first and
third Monday of the month:


Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf


Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY


Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag


Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6EV 


SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/


Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts


Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg


Follow Audrey Tan on Twitter: https://str.sg/JLMB


Read her stories: https://str.sg/JLM2


Follow David Fogarty on Twitter: https://str.sg/JLM6


Read his stories: https://str.sg/JLMu


---


Discover more ST podcast series:


Asian Insider Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa7


Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN


ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE


#PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad


Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas


Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ


Discover BT Podcasts: http://bt.sg/podcasts


Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.