In Asia Pacific the climate crisis is happening now, not in the future

Helen Regan
By Helen Regan, CNN
Updated 3:31 AM EST, Tue December 24, 2019
Climate Crisis
Now playing
03:01
How to save the planet: Five simple things you can do
The light house along Canal Park, a popular tourist destination, guides ships into the harbor
The light house along Canal Park, a popular tourist destination, guides ships into the harbor
McKenna Ewen
Now playing
08:11
This Midwest city is becoming a safe haven for climate refugees
Steve Gray stands outside his home in Gillette, Wyoming. He called CNN concerned that, following the election of President Biden, that Gillette could become a "ghost town." He says he was laid off from an oil field job in 2015, then subsequently from another job in oil and then one in coal last year.
Steve Gray stands outside his home in Gillette, Wyoming. He called CNN concerned that, following the election of President Biden, that Gillette could become a "ghost town." He says he was laid off from an oil field job in 2015, then subsequently from another job in oil and then one in coal last year.
McKenna Ewen
Now playing
09:21
In the energy capital of the US, the coal trains aren't running
Now playing
05:53
The climate crisis is taking these farmers' most valuable resource
CNN
Now playing
03:29
Meet teen climate activist Greta Thunberg
A banner at the inaugural Earth Day, New York City, 22nd April 1970. Earth Day is held annually to raise awareness of environmental issues. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)
A banner at the inaugural Earth Day, New York City, 22nd April 1970. Earth Day is held annually to raise awareness of environmental issues. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Archive Photos/Getty Images
Now playing
03:56
See how the climate crisis has impacted Earth
Now playing
02:30
The Road to Change: America's Climate Crisis
Now playing
03:01
What we can learn from Covid-19 for the climate crisis
Now playing
03:18
Climate crisis in Alaska is impacting the entire world
Now playing
02:12
Why can't we seem to care about the climate crisis?
Now playing
03:39
Britain's puffins could disappear if goal isn't met
Hong Kong CNN  — 

The world’s most disaster-prone region felt the harsh reality of the climate crisis in 2019.

Toxic smog shrouded Asian megacities, hundreds died in flooding and landslides, cyclones battered coastlines and bushfires, droughts and deadly heatwaves led to towns and cities almost running out of water.

A resident clears garbage floating in a flooded highway during the onslaught of Typhoon Kammuri on December 3, 2019 in Lipa town, Batangas province, Philippines.
A resident clears garbage floating in a flooded highway during the onslaught of Typhoon Kammuri on December 3, 2019 in Lipa town, Batangas province, Philippines.
Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Far from being anomalies, scientists say the climate crisis is causing more extreme weather events – and it’s having devastating consequences in Asia and the Pacific.

The “relentless sequence of natural disasters” over the past two years “was beyond what the region had previously experienced or was able to predict,” said a United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) report in August.

“This is a sign of things to come in the new climate reality.”

Rallying calls for climate action have been made in countless forums, summits and pledges this year.

But while many people in developed countries see the climate crisis as an urgent but future problem, for millions living in Asia-Pacific, it’s already touching every part of life.

Those on the front lines say words must now translate into tangible change as the world heads into a new decade.

Students take part in a demonstration calling for action against climate change, in Chennai on November 29, 2019.
Students take part in a demonstration calling for action against climate change, in Chennai on November 29, 2019.
ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images

Asia stands to be impacted the most from climate crisis

The Asia-Pacific region, home to 60% of the world’s population, is one of the most vulnerable areas to the climate crisis.

Compounding the problem is rapid urbanization in many Asian nations, with the pace of development often overtaking proper infrastructure planning.

Population booms and the mass migration of people to cities for work is putting strain on water and food supplies.

Many big Asian cities, including Mumbai, Shanghai, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jakarta, are coastal and low-lying, making them susceptible to sea level rise and other extreme weather events.

The coming decades will see the growth of colossal megacities as the world's population increasingly moves into urban environments.
The coming decades will see the growth of colossal megacities as the world's population increasingly moves into urban environments.
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Fast-growing, industrializing and coal-reliant Asian countries are pumping out increasing levels of carbon dioxide emissions, despite efforts by nations such as India and China to move towards cleaner energy.

As material wealth grows, so too does the consumer market and demand for emissions-producing conveniences such as air-conditioning, cars and disposable goods.

While wealthier cities like Hong Kong can afford to disaster-proof – to an extent. At the other end of the scale, poverty-stricken populations are living in some of the most environmentally precarious places on Earth, where extreme weather events could prove disastrous for lives, food production, water sources, economies and infrastructure.

“If we do not take urgent climate action now, then we are heading for a temperature increase of more than 3°C by the end of the century, with ever more harmful impacts on human wellbeing,” said World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas, in a statement. “We are nowhere near on track to meet the Paris Agreement target.”

Sea level rise is happening now

The low-lying South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu has been classified as 'extremely vulnerable' to climate change by the United Nations Development Programme.
The low-lying South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu has been classified as 'extremely vulnerable' to climate change by the United Nations Development Programme.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

As a resident of the low-lying Pacific Island of Samoa, Tagaloa Cooper-Halo has experienced climate changes first hand.

“Sea level rise is speeding up,” said Cooper-Halo, who is Director of Climate Change Resilience at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). “We expected sea level rise in about 20 years to be showing the changes. But we are seeing it already now.”

In a landmark report this year, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed that global sea levels are rising faster than expected.

A picture taken on September 23, 2018, shows Damselfishes in the seabed of the Plane island in the Mediterranean Sea, near Marseille, southern France. (Photo by Boris HORVAT / AFP) (Photo credit should read BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on September 23, 2018, shows Damselfishes in the seabed of the Plane island in the Mediterranean Sea, near Marseille, southern France. (Photo by Boris HORVAT / AFP) (Photo credit should read BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images)
Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images

Look to the ocean for climate change solutions

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions, warming temperatures, melting glaciers and disappearing ice sheets could cause sea levels to rise more than two meters (6.6 feet) by the end of this century if emissions continue unchecked, a study released in May found.

A rise of two meters would displace 187 million people, mostly from Asia, and swamp major cities such as Shanghai. Another study suggested that in Southeast Asia, parts of southern Vietnam and Bangkok could be underwater by 2050.

Adapting to rising sea levels will be a key challenge for Asia-Pacific, according to the UN Development Program. Measures include defending coastlines and infrastructure, restoring mangroves, and identifying areas at risk from flooding.

04:05 - Source: BEME
Climate crisis could make this country disappear

Cooper-Halo said Pacific nations have already been forced to adapt, installing monitoring stations that measure sea level rise and growing crops more resilient to saltwater.

Diets have already changed as ocean acidification and coral bleaching have reduced fish stocks, she said.

“When resources are not as plentiful as they used to be, it changes your dependency, you become more dependent on processed food and therefore we have to import a lot of processed food so it changes the way that we eat, and it therefore affects our health,” Cooper-Halo said.

Storms and typhoons are getting more intense

A resident walks past debris from her destroyed houses after Typhoon Kammuri hit the city of Sorsogon, south of of Manila.
A resident walks past debris from her destroyed houses after Typhoon Kammuri hit the city of Sorsogon, south of of Manila.
RAZVALE SAYAT/AFP/Getty Images

About 2.4 billion people – about half the population of Asia – live in areas vulnerable to extreme weather events.

This year, flooding and landslides, triggered by torrential monsoon rains, swept across India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, leaving devastation in each country and hundreds of deaths.

China, Vietnam, Japan, India, Bangladesh, South Korea, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, were all hit by tropical storms and typhoons – or cyclones – in 2019, causing dozens of deaths, hundreds of thousands displaced and millions of dollars in damage.

The climate crisis is expected to create higher storm surges, increased rainfall and stronger winds.

Joanna Sustento has been campaigning for climate action since Typhoon Haiyan devastated her home in Tacloban, the Philippines, in 2013.

Sustento lost both her parents, her eldest brother, sister-in-law, and her young nephew in the storm – one of the most powerful ever recorded.

Hong Kong typhoon technology Watson pkg vpx_00012706.jpg
Hong Kong typhoon technology Watson pkg vpx_00012706.jpg
Hong Kong Observatory

How to track a typhoon: The forecasters on the front line of extreme weather

“We experience an average of 20 typhoons per year and they are becoming more frequent and intense. What does that mean for the Filipino community? It means damaged homes and livelihood, losing loved ones, losing access to clean food and water, being deprived of your own safety,” she told CNN.

“Whenever an extreme weather event happens, we lose our basic human right to safe, decent, and dignified life.”

Seven out of 10 disasters that caused the biggest economic losses in the world from 1970 to 2019 are tropical cyclones, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

The high economic cost of typhoons can cripple poor countries.

In 2015, Category 5 Cyclone Pam cost the Pacific Island of Vanuatu the equivalent of 64% of its gross domestic product.

All cities vulnerable to typhoons are under pressure to improve infrastructure and properly plan for future growth. Investing in early warning systems has already saved countless lives.

Preparing for more extreme weather costs money and there are calls for rich nations to provide smaller economies with finance and technology to recover from the impacts of the climate crisis.

Sustento said fossil fuel companies also need to do their part – by speeding up the shift to renewable energy.

“We should not allow the fossil fuel industry to continue with business as usual, while we are left with no choice but to live with the ‘new normal’, to count our dead, to search for the missing, and to fear for our future,” she said.

Water shortages set to get worse

Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai, India, June 11, 2019.
Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai, India, June 11, 2019.
P. Ravikumar/Reuters

As the climate crisis makes rainfall and the annual monsoons – vital for the region’s agriculture – more erratic, droughts and water shortages will become more severe.

The past five years have been the hottest on record and blistering heatwaves – felt this year in Japan, China, India, Pakistan, and Australia – are becoming so intense that a group of MIT researchers suggested some places could become too hot to be inhabitable.

This year, India’s sixth largest city Chennai almost ran out of water.

Four reservoirs that supply the city’s almost 5 million residents ran almost completely dry. People queued to fill up cans of water across the city and hospitals had no water for operations or sterilizing equipment.

India is facing the worst water crisis in its history, with 600 million people dealing with high to extreme water shortage. Many people need to rely on tankers to deliver their water.
India is facing the worst water crisis in its history, with 600 million people dealing with high to extreme water shortage. Many people need to rely on tankers to deliver their water.
Omar Khan

Water every 10 days: The families on the front line of India's environmental crisis

Across the country, 600 million people are facing acute water shortage – and the crisis is expected to worsen as the Himalayan glaciers melt and India’s bore wells threaten to run dry.

“We have an economy where there’s a population that’s growing and industry that’s growing. So you need 40% more water for industry, you need more water for more people. You need more water for everything,” said Jyoti Sharma, founder and president of FORCE, an Indian NGO.

A new report this month said a quarter of the world’s population is living in regions where water resources are insufficient for the needs of the people – with “once unthinkable” water crises becoming common.

“Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about. Its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability,” said Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the World Resources Institute.

In India, proper urban planning and development will be the way forward, according to Sharma.

“Make water systems more efficient, make taps and faucets, irrigation systems more efficient. I think that’s what will save us from the crisis ahead,” she said.

The next ten years

Animal rescuer Marcus Fillinger carries a burned kangaroo on February 4 in Peak View, Australia. Fillinger tranquilized the wounded animal for transport to a recovery center.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
John Moore/Getty Images
Animal rescuer Marcus Fillinger carries a burned kangaroo on February 4 in Peak View, Australia. Fillinger tranquilized the wounded animal for transport to a recovery center.
A bushfire burns near the town of Bumbalong, south of Canberra on February 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A bushfire burns near the town of Bumbalong, south of Canberra on February 2.
Horses panic as a fire burns near Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, February 1.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Horses panic as a fire burns near Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, February 1.
A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, Australia, on Saturday, January 25.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, Australia, on Saturday, January 25.
In this long-exposure photo, a car's taillights streak at left as a wildfire glows at dusk near Clear Range, Australia, on Friday, January 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
In this long-exposure photo, a car's taillights streak at left as a wildfire glows at dusk near Clear Range, Australia, on Friday, January 31.
An airplane dumps fire retardant behind houses at the foot of Mount Tennent as fire creeps through the Namadgi National Park in Canberra on Thursday, January 30.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
An airplane dumps fire retardant behind houses at the foot of Mount Tennent as fire creeps through the Namadgi National Park in Canberra on Thursday, January 30.
People embrace near the scene of a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/australia/australia-firefighter-crash-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">water tanker plane crash</a> in Cooma, Australia, on Thursday, January 23. Three American crew members died in the crash.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
People embrace near the scene of a water tanker plane crash in Cooma, Australia, on Thursday, January 23. Three American crew members died in the crash.
Flying embers are seen in this long-exposure photo from Moruya on Thursday, January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Flying embers are seen in this long-exposure photo from Moruya on Thursday, January 23.
A young koala named Jeremy receives medical attention for burns at the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, Australia, on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Crosling/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A young koala named Jeremy receives medical attention for burns at the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, Australia, on January 23.
Firefighters battle the Morton Fire as it burns a home near Bundanoon, Australia, on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters battle the Morton Fire as it burns a home near Bundanoon, Australia, on January 23.
The Parliament House in Canberra is blanketed by bushfire smoke on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Mark Evans/Getty Images
The Parliament House in Canberra is blanketed by bushfire smoke on January 23.
A firefighter battles the Morton Fire as it consumes a home near Bundanoon on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter battles the Morton Fire as it consumes a home near Bundanoon on January 23.
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza holds two grey-headed flying foxes, which were being treated for bushfire injuries at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Australia, on Wednesday, January 15.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Darren England/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza holds two grey-headed flying foxes, which were being treated for bushfire injuries at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Australia, on Wednesday, January 15.
Lt. Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion visits the scene where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Australia's Kangaroo Island.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
CPL Tristan Kennedy/Australian Department of Defence
Lt. Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion visits the scene where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Australia's Kangaroo Island.
A smoky haze from bushfires hovers over the Melbourne skyline ahead of the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/01/14/australian-open-air-quality-issues-fires-dalila-jakupovic-sharapova-tennis-spt-intl-lon-orig.cnn" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> tennis tournament on Tuesday, January 14. Poor air quality disrupted the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A smoky haze from bushfires hovers over the Melbourne skyline ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, January 14. Poor air quality disrupted the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
Properties damaged and destroyed by fire are seen in Nerrigundah, Australia, on Monday, January 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam McNeil/AP
Properties damaged and destroyed by fire are seen in Nerrigundah, Australia, on Monday, January 13.
Debris remains where houses stood in the Australian village of Wingello on January 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Chu Chen/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
Debris remains where houses stood in the Australian village of Wingello on January 13.
Bonnie Morris and sister Raemi Morris look on as their family and firefighters battle bushfires at the edge of their family farm in Karatta on Saturday, January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
Bonnie Morris and sister Raemi Morris look on as their family and firefighters battle bushfires at the edge of their family farm in Karatta on Saturday, January 11.
Pictures of firefighters are projected onto the Sydney Opera House on January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Don Arnold/Getty Images
Pictures of firefighters are projected onto the Sydney Opera House on January 11.
A vehicle makes its way through thick fog mixed with bushfire smoke in the Ruined Castle area of the Blue Mountains on January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A vehicle makes its way through thick fog mixed with bushfire smoke in the Ruined Castle area of the Blue Mountains on January 11.
Protesters march through downtown Melbourne on Friday, January 10, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Protesters march through downtown Melbourne on Friday, January 10, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
An aerial view shows a track running through trees that were scorched by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia, on Thursday, January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg/Getty Images
An aerial view shows a track running through trees that were scorched by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia, on Thursday, January 9.
A pile of wood chips burns at a timber mill in Eden, Australia, on January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A pile of wood chips burns at a timber mill in Eden, Australia, on January 9.
Lisa Poulsen tends to her Clydesdale horse, Jake, on January 9. Jake suffered burn injuries in a bushfire on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Lisa Poulsen tends to her Clydesdale horse, Jake, on January 9. Jake suffered burn injuries in a bushfire on December 31.
A small wave of black water full of burned debris breaks at a beach at Eden on January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A small wave of black water full of burned debris breaks at a beach at Eden on January 9.
A dead kangaroo lies on a burnt farm in Batlow.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A dead kangaroo lies on a burnt farm in Batlow.
A firefighter backs away from flames after lighting a controlled burn near Tomerong on January 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A firefighter backs away from flames after lighting a controlled burn near Tomerong on January 8.
Stephenie Bailey is embraced on Wednesday, January 8, as she describes the impact the bushfires have had on her farm in Batlow.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Stephenie Bailey is embraced on Wednesday, January 8, as she describes the impact the bushfires have had on her farm in Batlow.
Charlotte O'Dwyer, the young daughter of Rural Fire Service volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer, wears her father's helmet during his funeral after being presented with a service medal in his honor by RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Tuesday, January 7, in Sydney.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dean Lewins-Pool/Getty Images
Charlotte O'Dwyer, the young daughter of Rural Fire Service volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer, wears her father's helmet during his funeral after being presented with a service medal in his honor by RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Tuesday, January 7, in Sydney.
A resident throws a bucket of water onto a smoldering tree on his property on Monday, January 6, in Wingello, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A resident throws a bucket of water onto a smoldering tree on his property on Monday, January 6, in Wingello, Australia.
A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, New South Wales, on January 6.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, New South Wales, on January 6.
A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk "Romeo" helicopter refuels onboard HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist, on Sunday, January 5, in this image provided by the Australian Department of Defence. HMAS Adelaide and army reserve forces have been assisting with bushfire evacuations on the southern coast of New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Handout/ABIS/Thomas Sawtell/Australian Department of Defence/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk "Romeo" helicopter refuels onboard HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist, on Sunday, January 5, in this image provided by the Australian Department of Defence. HMAS Adelaide and army reserve forces have been assisting with bushfire evacuations on the southern coast of New South Wales.
Families are evacuated by air from Mallacoota on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Justin McManus/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Families are evacuated by air from Mallacoota on January 5.
A man walks past ash from bushfires washed up on a beach in Merimbula on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A man walks past ash from bushfires washed up on a beach in Merimbula on January 5.
The flight deck of a C-130J Hercules is lit by the red glow of the fires below as the aircrew attempts to land in Merimbula to drop off fire and rescue crews to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Corporal Nicole Dorrett/Australian Department of Defence via Getty Images
The flight deck of a C-130J Hercules is lit by the red glow of the fires below as the aircrew attempts to land in Merimbula to drop off fire and rescue crews to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5.
This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4, shows smoke from fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NASA via AP
This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4, shows smoke from fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales.
A father holds his daughter as the skies above turn red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were stuck in Mallacoota after flights were grounded because of smoke and only school-aged children and older were allowed to evacuate by boat.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Justin McManus/The Age/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
A father holds his daughter as the skies above turn red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were stuck in Mallacoota after flights were grounded because of smoke and only school-aged children and older were allowed to evacuate by boat.
A Royal Australian Navy crew unload luggage as evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Pool/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy crew unload luggage as evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia.
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4.
Nancy Allen stands outside her house as high winds push smoke and ash from the Currowan Fire toward Nowra in New South Wales on January 4.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tracey Nearmy/Reuters
Nancy Allen stands outside her house as high winds push smoke and ash from the Currowan Fire toward Nowra in New South Wales on January 4.
Evacuees board the Royal Australian Navy's MV Sycamore on January 3 in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already devastating wildfires.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Australia Department of Defense/AP
Evacuees board the Royal Australian Navy's MV Sycamore on January 3 in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already devastating wildfires.
Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria on January 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
DELWP Gippsland/AP
Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria on January 2.
Royal Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presents a posthumous Commendation for Bravery and Service on January 2 to the son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, who was <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/02/australia/australia-medal-firefighter-son-intl-scli/index.html" target="_blank">killed battling bushfires</a>, at Keaton's funeral in Buxton, New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NSW Rural Fire Service via Reuters
Royal Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presents a posthumous Commendation for Bravery and Service on January 2 to the son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, who was killed battling bushfires, at Keaton's funeral in Buxton, New South Wales.
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage on January 2 behind Lake Conjola.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Robert Oerlemans via AP
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage on January 2 behind Lake Conjola.
Cars line up as people evacuate the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Cars line up as people evacuate the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2.
A satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel dated December 31 shows bushfires burning across Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Copernicus Sentinel Imagery via AP
A satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel dated December 31 shows bushfires burning across Australia.
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on December 31.
A man tries to defend a property in Lake Conjola on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A man tries to defend a property in Lake Conjola on December 31.
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales on December 31, 2019. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on December 31, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales on December 31, 2019. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on December 31, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land.
A destroyed home in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
James Ross/AP
A destroyed home in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, on December 31.
Children evacuated from areas affected by bushfires play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/AFP via Getty Images
Children evacuated from areas affected by bushfires play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega on December 31.
A skycrane drops water on a bushfire burning near houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, on Monday, December 30.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Ellen Smith/AAP Images via AP
A skycrane drops water on a bushfire burning near houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, on Monday, December 30.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured this satellite image of the historic bushfires burning across Australia on December 26.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured this satellite image of the historic bushfires burning across Australia on December 26.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by fire officials at New South Wales Rural Fire Service control room in Sydney on December 22. Morrison arrived back in Sydney <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/22/asia/australia-fire-prime-minister-criticism-apology/index.html" target="_blank">amid criticism after taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire emergency.</a>
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by fire officials at New South Wales Rural Fire Service control room in Sydney on December 22. Morrison arrived back in Sydney amid criticism after taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire emergency.
Tributes for volunteer firemen Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton are seen at Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in Sydney, Australia, on December 22. It's believed they were killed when their vehicle hit a tree before rolling off the road, the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/australia/australia-firefighter-death-intl-hnk-scli/index.html" target="_blank">New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a statement</a>.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
Tributes for volunteer firemen Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton are seen at Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in Sydney, Australia, on December 22. It's believed they were killed when their vehicle hit a tree before rolling off the road, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a statement.
A firefighter battles the Gospers Mountain Fire in Bilpin, New South Wales, on Saturday, December 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA/Shutterstock
A firefighter battles the Gospers Mountain Fire in Bilpin, New South Wales, on Saturday, December 21.
A charred bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house destroyed by bushfires on the outskirts of Bargo on December 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Gray/Getty Images
A charred bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house destroyed by bushfires on the outskirts of Bargo on December 21.
Fire and rescue personnel monitor a bushfire as it burns near homes on the outskirts of Bilpin on Thursday, December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Gray/Getty Images
Fire and rescue personnel monitor a bushfire as it burns near homes on the outskirts of Bilpin on Thursday, December 19.
A property burns in Balmoral on December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A property burns in Balmoral on December 19.
A helicopter drops fire-retardant to protect a property in Balmoral.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A helicopter drops fire-retardant to protect a property in Balmoral.
Police disperse demonstrators during a climate protest near Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney, on December 19, during his absence on an overseas holiday, as bushfires burned across the region.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Wendell Teodoro/AFP via Getty Images
Police disperse demonstrators during a climate protest near Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney, on December 19, during his absence on an overseas holiday, as bushfires burned across the region.
Children swing into the Penrith river during a heatwave in Sydney on December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Farooq Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Children swing into the Penrith river during a heatwave in Sydney on December 19.
A landscape of burnt trees is pictured after a bushfire at Mount Weison, in the Blue Mountains, on Wednesday, December 18.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
A landscape of burnt trees is pictured after a bushfire at Mount Weison, in the Blue Mountains, on Wednesday, December 18.
A wallaby flees a fire burning near Mangrove Mountain, north of Sydney, on December 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A wallaby flees a fire burning near Mangrove Mountain, north of Sydney, on December 10.
A smoke haze blankets Bondi Beach as the air quality index reaches higher than ten times hazardous levels in some suburbs of Sydney on December 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
A smoke haze blankets Bondi Beach as the air quality index reaches higher than ten times hazardous levels in some suburbs of Sydney on December 10.
People join a guided climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as bushfire haze darkens the sky on December 6.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
People join a guided climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as bushfire haze darkens the sky on December 6.
People are seen wearing face masks to protect against the poor air quality in Sydney on December 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Don Arnold/Getty Images
People are seen wearing face masks to protect against the poor air quality in Sydney on December 5.
A bushfire burns out of control in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales on December 2,
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A bushfire burns out of control in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales on December 2,
An aerial view shows bushfires burning in the Richmond Valley on November 26.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
An aerial view shows bushfires burning in the Richmond Valley on November 26.
A CFA crew member rests after a day of maintaining controlled back burns in St Albans, Australia, on November 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A CFA crew member rests after a day of maintaining controlled back burns in St Albans, Australia, on November 21.
An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19. The hospital said the fires have "decimated" the area, which is a key habitat and breeding ground for the marsupials. More than <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/30/australia/koala-fires-australia-intl-scli/index.html" target="_blank">350 koalas are feared to have been killed</a> by bushfires in NSW, according to animal experts.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tao Shelan/China News Serice/Getty Images
An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19. The hospital said the fires have "decimated" the area, which is a key habitat and breeding ground for the marsupials. More than 350 koalas are feared to have been killed by bushfires in NSW, according to animal experts.
Firefighters try to protect the Colo Heights Public School on November 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dean Lewins/EPA
Firefighters try to protect the Colo Heights Public School on November 19.
Bushfire smoke clouds the sky over the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Bushfire smoke clouds the sky over the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, Australia.
Firefighters work on controlled back burns on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters work on controlled back burns on November 14.
This satellite image shows wildfire smoke on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NASA via AP
This satellite image shows wildfire smoke on November 14.
A man uses a wet towel to help put out flames near the town of Taree on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A man uses a wet towel to help put out flames near the town of Taree on November 14.
Firefighters organize their crews prior to working on controlled back burns in Sydney on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters organize their crews prior to working on controlled back burns in Sydney on November 14.
Warren Smith pats his dog after returning to find his house destroyed near Nana Glen on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Warren Smith pats his dog after returning to find his house destroyed near Nana Glen on November 13.
Teresa de Ruyter, left, and Michelle Wilson embrace after returning to their homes near Nana Glen on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Teresa de Ruyter, left, and Michelle Wilson embrace after returning to their homes near Nana Glen on November 13.
Firefighters battle a spot fire in Hillville on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Firefighters battle a spot fire in Hillville on November 13.
Residents look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Peled/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Residents look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen on November 12.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks at a screen as he gets a briefing on the bushfire situation on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lukas Coch/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks at a screen as he gets a briefing on the bushfire situation on November 12.
Locals watch the fires impact farmland near Nana Glen on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
Locals watch the fires impact farmland near Nana Glen on November 12.
A firefighter mops up after a bushfire in the Sydney suburb of Llandilo on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
A firefighter mops up after a bushfire in the Sydney suburb of Llandilo on November 12.
A fire and rescue team inspects damage around the village of Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A fire and rescue team inspects damage around the village of Torrington on November 11.
Andrew Mackenzie surveys the damage to the area around his home in Torrington. His home was spared, but his neighbors' house was burned to the ground.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Andrew Mackenzie surveys the damage to the area around his home in Torrington. His home was spared, but his neighbors' house was burned to the ground.
Smoke from the Gulf Road Fire fills the air in Glen Innes on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Smoke from the Gulf Road Fire fills the air in Glen Innes on November 11.
A sign on a Taree fire station warns of "catastrophic" fire conditions.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A sign on a Taree fire station warns of "catastrophic" fire conditions.
A lone joey is pictured on a scorched patch of ground in Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A lone joey is pictured on a scorched patch of ground in Torrington on November 11.
Emergency crews tend to animals on a property in Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Emergency crews tend to animals on a property in Torrington on November 11.
Burnt trees dot the landscape in Old Bar on November 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Burnt trees dot the landscape in Old Bar on November 10.
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near Taree on November 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Darren Pateman/EPA/Shuttterstock
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near Taree on November 10.
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Old Bar on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Shane Chalker/AAP Image/Reuters
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Old Bar on November 9.
This aerial photo, taken on November 9, shows bushfires in the northeastern part New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tom Bannigan/AFP via Getty Images
This aerial photo, taken on November 9, shows bushfires in the northeastern part New South Wales.
Fires burn in the distance as children play on a beach in Forster on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Fires burn in the distance as children play on a beach in Forster on November 9.
A fire rages in Bobin on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A fire rages in Bobin on November 9.
The remains of a property are seen in Bobin on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
The remains of a property are seen in Bobin on November 9.
A plane drops fire retardant on a bushfire in Harrington on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Shane Chalker/EPA
A plane drops fire retardant on a bushfire in Harrington on November 8.
Firefighters try to put out a bushfire in Woodford on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters try to put out a bushfire in Woodford on November 8.
Police knock on the door of a house to warn residents of an out-of-control bushfire near Clumber on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Peled/EPA
Police knock on the door of a house to warn residents of an out-of-control bushfire near Clumber on November 8.
A resident hoses smoldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
A resident hoses smoldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford on November 8.
The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford.
Firefighters hose down an area in Woodford.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters hose down an area in Woodford.
Forster residents watch as a water-bombing helicopter flies over a bushfire on November 7.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Kirkman/EPA
Forster residents watch as a water-bombing helicopter flies over a bushfire on November 7.
In this handout photo from NASA's Aqua satellite, destructive bushfires are seen off the coast of New South Wales on November 7.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lauren Dauphin/NASA Earth Observatory
In this handout photo from NASA's Aqua satellite, destructive bushfires are seen off the coast of New South Wales on November 7.

The world is now 1.1 degrees warmer than it was at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and under current scenarios, carbon dioxide emissions will need to fall by 7.6% every year in the next decade.

Yet emissions are still going up.

The UN Climate Change Conference earlier this month highlighted the huge disconnect between the world’s biggest polluting nations, and the global community demanding change. Many observers, scientists and climate activists called the resulting agreement a failure.

Those impacted by the crisis in Asia don’t have another decade for the rest of the world to get this right.

Surrender is not an option, said Cooper-Halo.

In “the Pacific, the public has woken up to this reality for many years now,” she said. Now, countries need to catch up and step up.