Bangkok residents produce as much of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as New Yorkers, and more than Londoners, a UN-sponsored study has found.
The more carbon dioxide is released, the warmer the climate could become, which could put the city at increased risk of natural disasters, the study said.
The likely consequences for the city, already prone to flooding and land subsidence, will be "severe", according to the Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change 2009, released yesterday.
"Land subsidence (sinking), when combined with a rising sea level, could leave Bangkok under 50-100cm of water by 2025," the report said.
"Rising temperatures could also affect the flow of water in the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong rivers."