Climate Change in Asia also offers a basic explanation of how scientists believe the region will be affected by climate change. On the issue of temperature and rainfall, the regional variations in projected temperature and rain increases are explained as well as the “elevation shifts of ecosystems in the mountains and uplands”. The complexity of effects on rainforests and drier monsoon forests are discussed, as is the expectation that peat lands will shrink and desiccate. The short and longer-term effects of Himalayan glacial melting (see related story) are covered and the possibility of malaria, schistosomiasis and dengue increasing is mentioned.
Over the coming months, the site will expand its coverage of Global Environment Facility-funded projects (see related story) in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The site is funded by the US Department of Energy and developed by the Tata Energy Research Institute (see related story), based in New Delhi.