By 2100 over 1 billion people on Earth will live in low-lying coastal zones. 70% of these will live in Southeast Asia, one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. The next decade will be the most critical for the future existence of these societies.
Natural hazards remain a constant challenge for over 400 million people who live in low lying communities built along major mega delta regions in coastal zones. Events like typhoons and tsunamis threaten their very survival.
Many people now know that climate change is real, that they see the data or they see the observations for themselves. What's needed now is a sense of urgency. We have within the next decade exceedingly important decisions to make.
Rice, it's a staple food for many in Asia. It provides 1/3 of the energy in the average Asian diet and is the income source for more than 500 million people. So, what is the future of our staple foods like rice? And how do we address the uncertainty that we face in these changing times?