Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The  Workshop on Climate Change of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has been held in Baku today within the framework of program of CAREC, has drawn a  catastrophic picture of future disasters for Azerbaijan.

ADB Senior Climate Change Specialist Peter Hayes said at the workshop that in connection with climatic changes, risks of economic losses over  catastrophic phenomena grow.

“In accordance with  existing appraisals, Azerbaijan risks to lose to 25 % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from these phenomena or approximately  $1.5-2 billion per year,” P. Hayes said.

For Armenia the forecast makes 100 % of GDP ($17 billion), for Georgia – 97% of GDP (nearly $4 billion), for Turkey – 8% (below $12 billion), for Russia – hardly more than 5% (more than $18 billion). Estimations do no include losses over drought, forest fires and industrial disasters.

In accordance with appraisal of ADB, it is expected that average temperature will increase by 6-9°C in the world  by the  middle of current century, temperature will grow only by 1°C in Azerbaijan.

Over these terms it is expected that level of the Caspian Sea will grow by 150 centimeters that will result in  flooding of 88,000 has  of land  in coastal zones of the country. Threat of droughts will increase dramatically, the area of semi-deserts and dry heaths will expand.

Arid  territories will increase in southern (subtropical) districts of the country. Threat of mudflows, floods, landslips, mud-and-stone flows and the technogenic catastrophes, connected with it,  will grow as well.

13.09.2010 12:32