Time is Running Out: Why ASEAN Must Act Now against Climate Emergencies

This 2nd edition of the ASEAN Risk Monitor and Disaster Management Review (ARMOR), Time is Running Out: Why ASEAN Must Act Now against Climate Emergencies, aims to advance the publication’s objective of providing authoritative information specifically regarding the ASEAN region. The region has a growing need for critical analysis and synthesis of data to inform policy decisions and disaster management operations. With ARMOR, the AHA Centre addresses this need and supports the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 on Disaster Management by taking ownership of knowledge, ensuring application of disaster management science, and providing a platform for emerging researchers to contribute collectively to disaster management in the region. The AHA Centre also acts as the network coordinator for developing disaster management standards and facilitating a platform for knowledge exchange for the next generation of regional disaster management leaders.

The 1st edition of ARMOR, Bridging Science & Decision Making, provided a baseline that the 2nd edition builds on to identify changes and patterns that occurred over the past year, leading to evidence-based conclusions and recommendations for specific Member States and their individual circumstances. The 2nd edition uses both historical data and the most up-to-date information, trends, and risk profiles of the ASEAN countries with regards to climate change and disasters. ARMOR bridges the gap between science and policy by consolidating knowledge from the data, showcasing best practices, and inspiring further innovations in the areas of risk monitoring and disaster management. This includes highlighting the latest research tools and initiatives that ASEAN countries can employ to improve their data collection and analysis, as well as make informed decisions in policy development.

Real and Present Danger: What Does a 1.5°C Increase Mean to ASEAN? summarises the latest assessments and outlook of climate change impacts in the ASEAN region and includes overviews of important points from subsequent chapters.

The Threat-Multiplier: Climate Change and Disaster Riskscape in ASEAN builds on the importance of disaster risk assessment in the region, outlining how each country’s risk profile has changed over time and since the previous ARMOR report.

Food at Risk: The Repercussions of Climate Change and Drought in the Lower
Mekong Region explores the relationship between drought and food insecurity in the Lower Mekong region, demonstrating how the available tools in the affected countries can help improve decision-making processes and address impacts of drought resulting from climate change.

Understanding Drought: When to Sound the Alarm? discusses the challenges posed by drought and how to apply a proactive approach through the use of risk assessments, early warning services, risk financing, and adaptive capacity.

One Year Down: The State of ASEAN’s Flood and Drought Early Warning Systems evaluates the implementation of early warning systems for flood and drought in the ASEAN region and proposes a model for assessing them.

When Early Actions Save Lives: Anticipating Instead of Reacting with Forecast-based Financing discusses how the region can address the various impacts of climate change through a proactive approach called Forecast-based Financing rather than relying on traditional reactive approaches.

Three Weeks’ Notice: Forecasting Extreme Weather Events with Subseasonal-to- Seasonal Climate Prediction illustrates the potential applications for disaster preparedness of bridging shorter-term weather forecasts with seasonal predictions in the ASEAN region.

Where to Go? Finding Durable Solutions for Disaster-Displaced Persons in Southeast Asia addresses the indirect consequences of climate change by discussing durable solutions to population displacement in Southeast Asia.

Finally, Policies Tackling Climate Risks: Is ASEAN Moving to the Right Direction? turns to national and regional policies in ASEAN, discussing how they fit into the bigger picture of modern climate agreements and frameworks.

This 2nd edition of ARMOR represents a vital second step in establishing a consistent initiative in the ASEAN region. The AHA Centre recognises the many contributions from numerous individuals and organisations that made this publication possible and hopes that future editions of ARMOR will continue to prove the value of such collaborations in addressing the regional challenges of climate change.