Policy makers in Asia and the Pacific are struggling to collect and analyze the data they need to effectively respond to climate change, hampering efforts in a region considered the world’s most vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet.
Some national statistical offices in the region say they don’t have enough staff working on climate data, and others don’t have a unit dedicated to it, according to a new survey by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), published today. Most respondents also said their access to geographically granular data was “fair” at best for many types of data, including on climate change drivers such as fossil fuel use and total greenhouse gas emissions. Key data on impacts on ecosystems, infrastructure, specific geographic areas, and water security are lacking.
Asia and the Pacific accounts for more than half of all global greenhouse gas emissions and is hit harder by disasters and other climate risks than any other region. Without high-quality data and the ability to analyze it, policy makers in the region can’t design effective, targeted measures to tackle the causes and effects of climate change—and evaluate their effectiveness.
“Asia and the Pacific is at the forefront of the climate battle,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park. “The deadly heat waves and catastrophic floods we’ve seen in recent months show us what’s at stake. We need high-quality data and robust statistical capacity to avoid policy blind spots and make sure our strategies for tackling the climate crisis are well-informed. This means we need to invest in our statistical systems, our people, and our institutions. The cost of not doing so will be far higher than the cost of these investments.”
The findings of ADB’s survey, which covered 29 national statistical offices in Asia and the Pacific, were released as part of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2024. The report explains how data and statistics can play a crucial role in combating climate change.
For instance, having the right data enables more localized monitoring of climate change impacts, providing context for a more effective policy response that is data-driven and evidence-based. Geographically granular data can also help identify areas for policy prioritization, ensuring resources are directed where they are most needed.
The report notes that national statistical offices are challenged not only by limited capacity and insufficient access to climate data, but also by a lack of uniform definitions and methodologies. Asked about the reasons for these shortcomings, survey respondents cited insufficient technical staffing, limited financial resources, methodological and technical difficulties, a lack of coordination with other stakeholders, and climate change data not being seen as a priority.
The report features a special supplement focusing on the Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) standard, which provides a comprehensive framework to streamline data activities that can help economies in Asia and the Pacific design and implement effective, data-driven, and evidence-based policies. Adopting the SDMX standard can help countries collect, exchange, analyze, and disseminate statistical data to help tackle climate change.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
