State of the Climate in Asia 2023 Report

About State of the Climate in Asia 2023 Report:

• It was launched by the World Meteorological Organisation. Some of the important highlights of the report are:
  • More than nine million people across Asia were affected by 79 extreme climate disasters reported on the continent in 2023.
  • Asia and the Pacific was the most disaster-impacted region last year. 
  • Atmospheric concentration of the three major greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2022.
  • Oceans have absorbed around 25% of annual man-made carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere between 1960 and 2021. The trend continues, and ocean heat content in 2023 was the highest on record.
  • The tropical cyclone activity over the North Indian Ocean was slightly above average.
  • Asia recorded its second-highest mean temperature on record in 2023. Japan and Kazakhstan observed record warm years.
  • Glaciers continued to retreat at an accelerating rate in 2023. High temperatures and dry conditions in East Himalayas and Central Asia’s Tian Shan mountains accelerated glacial mass loss.

Key facts about the WMO:

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations(UN). It is the authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans and the resulting distribution of water resources.
• It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873. Established in 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the UN for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
• Headquarters:  Geneva, Switzerland.
• Member countries: Currently it has a membership of 187 countries.