The esteemed Associate Professor, Dr Vishnu Atthavanich, from the Faculty of Economics at Kasetsart University joined a thought-provoking conversation at a panel discourse aptly named, “Cope and Adapt to Stave Off the Global Warming Crisis”. During this interactive dialogue, Dr. Vishnu raised quite a startling proposal. He suggested that an estimated 1.2 trillion trees would be necessary to plant to counterbalance the carbon dioxide produced within the last decade alone. But to do so in such a brief span is as ambitious as it is challenging, even technologically.
An insightful research piece that attempts to comprehend global warming’s overarching effects on Thai agriculture suggests that non-irrigated farmlands are extraordinarily susceptible. The projected average annual damage of a whopping 83 billion baht only highlights this crisis. The study extrapolates that should global warming persist until 2045, the conservative cost to Thai agriculture could potentially escalate to a staggering 2.85 trillion baht. A number that substantially surpasses the nation’s current projection of 3.3 trillion baht.
Dr. Vishnu flagged the ongoing El Niño phenomenon as a vital factor accelerating the globe’s temperature increase beyond the historic average. Further, data compiled by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that global temperatures in each month of 2023 surpassed the highest in the preceding 174 years. Forecasts made by experts warn of a potential record-breaking surge in global temperature in 2024, predicted to exceed an alarming 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era level.
The study places particular emphasis on Thai agriculture’s susceptibility to climate change, primarily in its southern and eastern regions, which are likely to bear the brunt of its severe impacts. The researchers also highlight that some territories, notably, the central and northeastern zones that cultivate perennial crops such as durian, could be less vulnerable.
Fascinatingly, the research also uncovers that only a tiny proportion of farmers, approximately 4.46% of those with advanced education, have pursued studies on climate change. A significant 80% of agricultural households are subsistence farmers grappling with socio-economic obstacles. Moreover, merely 26% of all households have access to irrigation systems, making their adaptation to climate change extremely difficult. The absence of government aid and policies engineered to address farmers’ unique needs only heightens the predicament.
Dr. Vishnu, in closing, stressed the critical necessity for substantial financial backing to farmers to propel them to adapt to climate-changing conditions. Presently, each farming household receives a paltry annual support averaging at 17,000 baht, an amount far too minimal to inspire effective adaptation among farmers. Given the projected intensification of climate change in the future, it is likely the government would need to reserve more substantial funds to secure sustainable support to the agricultural sector.
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