Lima, Ekuatorial – Indonesia is not considered as prone to climate change as it listed in 63th from 179 countries, based on Global Climate Risk Index (GCRI) 2014, by Germanwatch, which was launched in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday (2/12).
However, GCRI index, compiled between 1994 to 2003, revealed that Indonesia need to be more aware as 197 deaths related to extreme weather occurred last year. The loss stood eight on similar events globally. In addition, Indonesia also losing its purchasing power for 15147.02 or placed in fifth, measured by power purchasing parities (PPP). However, the loss counted for 0,096 per unit GDP and placed on 42nd.
GCRI shown that poor countries and developing countries have high vulnerability, especially on extreme weather impacts. For instance, Haiyan tropical storm, Nargis, monsoon impact which hit South East Asia or Sandy typhoon in Haiti. Furthermore, England as developed country made it to eleventh spot in 2013 because of severe floods in several cities.
Head of GCRI research team, Sonke Kreft of Germanwatch said that the report was based on fatality report related to extreme weather, death report per 100,000 residents, PPI, and loss per unit GDP. The report stated that 530,000 people died in 15 extreme weather and lost US$ 2.2 trillion PPI between 1994 to 2003.
Honduras, Burma, and Haiti were among countries with high vulnerability due to constant extreme weather and deaths and its impact to their GDPs compare to other countries, between 1994 to 2003. Meanwhile, for 2013, Philippines, India, and Cambodia were three top nations with highest GCRI for the same causes.
Nevertheless, Kreft said that there were limitations on the report, such as did not include sea level rise and glacier melting. “So, it is not quite can be called as the real measurement for climate change vulnerability,” he added to Ekuatorial.
Meanwhile, Doddy Sukadri, adviser of National Council on Climate Change or DNPI on Low Carbon Growth, said that despite of the report, Indonesia still has high potential vulnerability. Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), for instance, concluded that Indonesia has high vulnerability.
“Its geographic position and as archipelago country made it vulnerable to sea level rise,” said Sukadri.
He said small islands such as Maluku would be drown if sea level rises in addition that Indonesia also has volcanoes and prone to earth quakes. These vulnerabilities, based on CDKN projection in 2012, which even increasing between 2010-30.
Meanwhile, Heherson Alvarez, Philippines negotiator said that vulnerability assessment should be included in the negotiation as one of the platform to determine emissions reduction program for each countries. “We are very open to cooperate with anyone and open to help from anywhere, including access to funding in the global climate finance,” said Alvarez.
Carlos Alberto Pineda Fasquella of Honduras, which hold as one of the vulnerable countries, said that it was the reason why his country asked for the convention not just discussing about GCRI but put it into negotiation. “Disaster risk management and climate change risk management should be negotiated, especially on loss and damage,” said Fasquella.
Honduras, he added, has already cooperating with other Latin American countries, such as Colombia and Mexico to develop weather information system to anticipate extreme weather related disasters. IGG Maha Adi ( Lima, Peru)
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