Asia-Pacific coastal flood damage could reach $199bn annually by 2050

A new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), titled ‘Asia–Pacific Climate Report 2026: Coastal Risks on the Rise—Actions for a Resilient Future’, warns that annual coastal flood losses across 30 economies in the Asia-Pacific region could rise from approximately $27 billion today to between $172 billion and $199 billion by 2050.

Without significant adaptation measures, annual losses could escalate to between $520 billion and $739 billion by 2100. The report notes that the region’s coastlines generate roughly $7 trillion in annual economic output, and disruptions to ports alone could put $40 billion to $45 billion at risk each year.

The ADB estimates that an annual investment of $9 billion to $19 billion in coastal protection could keep flood damages near current levels, potentially averting up to $360 billion in annual losses. This suggests the economic benefits of resilience investments could be as much as 20 times the initial cost. The report highlights that major cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Kolkata, and Mumbai could face floods that were historically once-in-a-century events becoming annual occurrences by the end of the century.