4 July 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : The weather bureau in China, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), has issued a warning in its annual climate report stating that the country is experiencing hotter and longer heatwaves, as well as more frequent and unpredictable heavy rain, due to climate change. The report also predicts that maximum temperatures in China could increase by 1.7-2.8 degrees Celsius (3-5 Fahrenheit) within the next 30 years, with eastern China and the northwestern region of Xinjiang being the most affected areas.
China, which considers itself one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, experienced a new high in average national temperatures last year. This resulted in unprecedented levels of glacial retreat and melting permafrost in the northwest region. The country is facing mounting pressure to adapt to the rapidly changing weather patterns and sea level rise, which is occurring at a faster rate than the global average.
“China is a region that is vulnerable to the effects of global climate change, a region where the consequences will be substantial,” stated Yuan Jiashuang, vice-director of the National Climate Centre at the CMA, during a briefing. She cautioned that if emissions continue to rise, extreme heat events that are projected to happen once every fifty years in China could occur every other year by the end of the century, and rainfall could double and become more erratic.”
The weather bureau predicts that temperatures in most regions of China will remain high in the coming months, indicating a second consecutive summer of extreme heat. The southern areas are already experiencing heavy rains and floods, while the northern and central parts of the country have witnessed record-breaking temperatures. This situation poses a threat to crops and puts strain on electricity grids.
According to official data, the average temperatures from March to May have reached their highest levels since records began in 1961. The weather bureau has also predicted that two typhoons may hit mainland China in July. Authorities have stated that these typhoons are anticipated to move in a westward or northwestward direction. In the previous year, two strong typhoons, Doksuri and Haikui, made landfall, resulting in heavy rainfall that broke records in certain regions, leading to flooding and widespread evacuations.