Global environment monitoring systems: the potential socio-economic effects of climate change: a summary of three regional assessments

This document presents a synthesis of three regional studies—conducted in Brazil, in the combined region of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, and in Vietnam—exploring the potential socio-economic impacts of climate change and variability. Through a combination of climate scenario modelling, analysis of current climate hazards, and expert-led assessments, it outlines region-specific risks such as drought-induced hunger and malnutrition in Brazil’s Northeast, simulated coastal inundation and agricultural yield reductions in Southeast Asia under 2xCO₂ scenarios, and heightened vulnerabilities in Vietnam’s energy, agriculture, and fisheries sectors due to changing rainfall patterns, sea-level rise, and temperature increases. The report emphasizes how socio-economic factors like poverty and infrastructure shape the severity of impacts, and stresses the importance of context-sensitive policy responses. It concludes that adaptation and mitigation efforts must involve both national governance and international cooperation to effectively address the diverse and regionally specific risks posed by climate change.