Bangkok residents produced as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as New Yorkers and surpassed Londoners in their emissions. Both Bangkok and New York emitted 7.1 tons per capita in 2007. Bangkok's emissions were higher than that of London's residents, at 5.9 tons per capita, according to the Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change 2009, released today.

In 2005, Bangkok's total emissions of 43m tons almost equaled London and surpassed Toronto (44m tons and 24m tons, respectively). As rising greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), such as carbon dioxide (CO2), are primary contributors of warming temperatures, the likely consequences on the city, already prone to flooding and land subsistence, will be severe. Bangkok and its suburbs are already experiencing more severe and frequent flooding and more days with temperatures beyond 35 ํC. Bangkok's dominance as Thailand's economic hub suggests that there will be economic repercussions for the country as well.

Transportation, electricity generation and solid and waste water constitute the bulk of emissions in the city (90%). The transport sector, responsible for almost 38% of CO2 annually, is the largest contributor, particularly for passenger vehicles, which have seen a 7-fold increase from 1980 to 1999.

"We hope that this report will raise awareness of the issues and stimulate actions that need to be taken by residents, the private and public sectors to reduce those impacts, and for the city to adapt. This will help safeguard the city's economy and its inhabitants to the extent possible," said Park Young-Woo, Regional Director of the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Infrastructure, water, health and food production are some of the areas highlighted by the report that will be impacted. Land subsidence, when combined with a rising sea level could leave Bangkok under 50-100cm of water by 2025. Rising temperatures could also affect the flow of waters in the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong rivers, from which most of Bangkok's water supply is drawn. Increased heat-related diseases and incidences and spread of diseases like malaria and dengue fever are also mentioned. All of these will extract a high economic toll, the report said.

The report calls for a coordinated approach to addressing climate change and its impacts ‘as a matter of urgency'.

"We strongly believe that the cooperation of every sector of society is required to reduce the impacts of climate change. Our communal action in combating climate change and making adjustments in the way we live will bring about benefits not only now but also to future generations of people at home and abroad," said Bangkok Governor, M.R.Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

The report sets out a number of adaptation options for climate-proofing the city. These include improving the local public health infrastructure and disease surveillance and prevention programmes; creating early warning systems for extreme weather events; and implementing stricter zoning and building codes to minimize damage from storms and sea level rise.

The Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change 2009 is produced by the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) and the Bangkok-based Green Leaf Foundation with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It aims at raising awareness of actions that residents, the public and private sectors and the city can take to alleviate the impacts and adapt to future climate changes. The report is the first UNEP-supported climate change city report in Asia and the first in a series of such reports.