The time when the consequences of global warming could be perceived as distant has passed; now it stands right at the doorsteps of the most populous continent – Asia. According to the State of the Climate in Asia 2025, a flagship report issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in June 2026, the increase in temperature on the continent far exceeds global figures.
Specifically, the analysis shows that during 1991-2025 period, warming across Asia grew almost twice faster compared to the 1961-1990 average. As a result, 2025 becomes the second-hottest year recorded in the continent’s history.
Unfortunately, this report demonstrates not only meteorological data but also indicates a humanitarian and economic catastrophe currently taking place in China, Japan, India, and Pakistan.
Unprecedented extreme heatwaves and new records for Asia
In 2025, the effects of warming were particularly harsh in several leading Asian economies:
* East Asia: Japan, China, and South Korea saw unprecedented highs for their hottest summers;
* Central and West Asia: Months-long heat waves with Kazakhstan reaching record temperature increase of up to 14°C and Bahrain having 10 days above the 40°C mark.
The forest fires and losses of critical crops due to the extreme heat
The heatwaves have fueled the worst-ever forest fires in South Korea, and India witnessed unprecedented temperature rises, affecting critical crops and causing heat illnesses.
The violent flash floods versus the chronic drought problem
Monsoons and other weather patterns in 2025 have been characterised by extreme instability resulting in severe inundation in some areas while causing water shortages in others.
South Asia, for instance, faced devastating monsoon rains that brought about floods. For example, in Pakistan, floods killed more than 1,000 people and affected more than 3 million people. In Vietnam, there were over 200 deaths alongside a total of $1.9 billion losses. The cyclone known as Senyar caused significant destruction in places such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
On the other hand, West and Central Asian countries such as Iran have been struggling with debilitating droughts that were further worsened by huge dust storms that hit the region in April 2025.
Collapse of the ‘third pole’: The Himalayas in rapid retreat
Perhaps the most worrying discoveries made by the WMO are those associated with the Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau regions, commonly referred to as the Earth’s “Third Pole” because of its extensive ice formations outside the polar circle.
Specifically, the report notes that from October 2024 to September 2025, all 23 principal glaciers recorded in the region experienced some degree of mass loss. The glaciers located in Tian Shan and Pamir Mountain ranges lost mass the fastest. In the long term, this process poses a serious threat to water safety in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan since they heavily depend on glacial meltwater to irrigate their rivers, including the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra Rivers. Furthermore, it greatly enhances the risks of GLOFs.
Boiling seas and surging coastlines threaten India’s cities
The oceans that surround Asia are sending ominous warnings about what the future holds. 2025 saw the formation of marine heatwaves of unprecedented proportions. From July to September, a massive marine heatwave covered the surface area exceeding 10 million square kilometers – that is, an area larger than that of both the United States and China.
Alarmingly, the sea level in the Northern Indian Ocean is rising much faster than the global average. Along India’s coastlines, the sea level is rising at a rate of 4.9 mm per year, compared to the global average of 3.6 mm per year. Accompanied by rapid ocean acidification, this shift severely threatens marine ecosystems, coral reefs, and commercial fisheries, putting vulnerable coastal states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu on high alert.
Early warning systems: The difference between life and death
The report did highlight a silver lining: robust meteorological infrastructure saves lives. In China’s Sichuan province, highly advanced multi-hazard early warning systems successfully mitigated casualties during extreme weather events.
Conversely, where these systems were weak or absent, the damage was absolute. In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah dumped 10% of the nation’s annual rainfall in just 24 hours, causing over 640 deaths and wiping out roughly 4% of the country’s GDP. This stark contrast underscores the vital necessity of climate-resilient infrastructure.
The frontline: India’s unique strategic challenges
India finds itself directly on the frontline of Asia’s climate battlefield. Densely populated urban centers are rapidly transforming into dangerous urban heat islands, lowering labor productivity and straining power grids.
In the short term, melting Himalayan glaciers are projected to cause volatile flash flooding downstream, while long-term scenarios point to severe river drying. Concurrently, rising sea levels pose an existential threat to mega-cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. Erratic monsoon cycles are already disrupting the Kharif sowing season, leaving farmers highly vulnerable to back-to-back cycles of drought and flooding.
Action plan
WMO Secretary-General Professor Celeste Saulo emphasized that rising temperatures, warming oceans, and retreating glaciers represent a systemic threat to Asia’s socio-economic fabric. The report calls for an immediate three-pronged response:
- Aggressive emission reductions: Substantially curbing global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Upgrading early warning networks: Deploying real-time weather forecasting infrastructure across developing regions.
- Accelerating adaptation strategies: Scaling up targeted investments.
For India, this necessitates expanding its domestic capacity in solar, wind, and green hydrogen power. Urban centers must rapidly integrate extensive green spaces, mandating rainwater harvesting frameworks, developing climate-resilient, drought-resistant crop varieties, and aggressively conserving coastal mangrove ecosystems to act as natural storm buffers.
The WMO 2025 report makes it clear that the luxury of time has expired; coordinated continental action is the only path forward to prevent a full-scale environmental emergency by 2030.
