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The environment threats on Pope Francis' Asia-Pacific itinerary

Climate change will be high on the agenda as Pope Francis embarks on his longest ever foreign journey on Monday, visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore over 12 days.

Following are some of the environment difficulties dealing with the nations on his travel plan.

INCREASING WATER LEVEL

Pope Francis has cautioned rising sea levels will indicate lots of populations will probably need to move their homes in a few years.

This is currently occurring in Indonesia, with its largely populated and low-lying seaside regions at danger from subsidence and flooding. It is currently relocating its nationwide capital from Jakarta to a new and less vulnerable city on Borneo.

Indonesia's National Research study and Innovation Firm warned in 2021 that 115 islands in the nation's sprawling archipelago might be entirely submerged by the end of the century.

Singapore has forecasted its coastal waters might increase by more than a metre by the end of the century, piling pressure on its flood defences and threatening its low-lying land.

Sea levels in the Pacific Ocean are increasing faster than the global average, the World Meteorological Organisation said last week, and the increase is likewise linked with more intense tropical storms throughout the western Pacific region.

RAIN

Francis has actually highlighted the risks of more frequent and intense rains and floods as temperatures rise. South East Asia and the Western Pacific are especially susceptible.

In May, Papua New Guinea suffered a catastrophic landslide which the federal government said buried more than 2,000 individuals alive, and was brought on by heavy rains and storms. Extreme rain has also caused fatalities in Indonesia in May and August.

East Timor is struggling to develop resilience to extreme weather condition after suffering its worst flooding in fifty years in 2021.

It warned in an environment policy file submitted to the U.N. that extreme rainfall during its wet season together with increased drought dangers during the dry months were positioning dangers to food and water security.

In the worst-case scenario, Singapore by the end of the century might see rainfall almost double throughout its monsoon season, the country said in its 2024 environment change assessment.

HEAT

Pope Francis described the earth as having a fever in a. video message on Friday. All the countries on Pope Francis's. itinerary are especially exposed to soaring heat, which is. currently affecting health and financial performance in the. area.

Singapore warned in the climate assessment that temperature levels. in excess of 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) might become the. norm by the end of the century, with averages forecasted to increase. by approximately 5C if emissions remain high.

East Timor says its economy is also threatened by rising. ocean temperature levels, which are killing coral reefs and damaging. its fishing industry.

(source: Reuters)