Climate actions vital for a better future

March 23 marks the 64th World Meteorological Day, whose theme this year, "at the frontline of climate action", calls for urgent action across societies to strengthen cooperation in mitigating and adapting to climate change and addressing the severe challenges posed by the Earth's warming.

No one can be safe from the threat of climate change. The world has just endured its hottest year on record, with global average temperatures and sea surface temperatures breaking historical records. Many countries and regions have been battered by exceptionally intense heat waves, droughts and torrential rainfall and floods, indicating extreme weather events have become more frequent and severe worldwide. There is no denying that climate change is one of the most urgent challenges facing humankind.

To fight climate change, China has pledged to take decisive climate actions. For instance, it has vowed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. As the world's largest developing country and a responsible major country, China has overcome many socioeconomic challenges by implementing a series of measures. Under the able leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's Cabinet, the country is set to achieve the highest reduction in carbon intensity globally, and transition from carbon emissions peak to carbon neutrality in the shortest time in global history.

Building a solid front line of meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation is crucial for dealing with the effects of extreme weather events. Thanks to global warming, extreme weather events have increased in frequency and intensity. In China, extreme precipitation events have increased by an average of 8 percent per decade, with unusually intense extreme weather events becoming more frequent. Simultaneously, the sensitivity of various sectors of the economy and society to disastrous weather is increasing, demanding more accurate weather forecasts, that can facilitate high-quality development and safeguard people's well-being.

It is human nature to expect the best outcome from any event but wisdom calls for making preparations to deal with the worst-case scenario, for which it is necessary to build a solid first line of defense by taking measures in advance and improving the coordination mechanism to deal with natural disasters, strengthen precision monitoring, ensure accurate forecasting, enhance public awareness about climate change and natural disasters and their effects, and help build effective disaster risk resilience across society.

It is also necessary to harness climate resources to steer the development of new quality productive forces. Green productivity is inherent to new quality productive forces. Developing clean energy and promoting the low-carbon transformation of the economy is now a globally accepted method of addressing climate change.

To understand our resources landscape better, we (at China Meteorological Administration) have conducted a national survey of wind and solar energy resources, creating detailed green energy maps. These efforts enable us to provide forecasts for weather and power generation of any new energy facility, and thus support the layout and distribution of wind and solar energy and other clean energy sources.

It is imperative to have a global perspective when it comes to climate governance. The China Meteorological Administration attaches great importance to monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, establishing an atmospheric background observation station network, comprising one global and six atmospheric background stations. Also, a series of high-precision GHG observation stations are helping evaluate the effectiveness of China's actions to peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality.

The CMA also takes active part in scientific assessments of climate change as the leading domestic organization linked to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In fact, an increasing number of Chinese scientists have been elected as co-chairs of the IPCC's Working Group I, and more and more Chinese authors are helping prepare the panel's assessment report.

We conduct global monitoring, issue global forecasts and provide services in the spirit of a community with a shared future for mankind. As a matter of fact, China's Fengyun meteorological satellites provide services to nearly 130 countries and regions.

The CMA will continue to be at the forefront of climate action, shouldering the responsibility of technological innovation, and building an independent, self-reliant, open, integrated and vibrant ecosystem. It will also take measures to advance meteorological science and technology, strengthen research on climate change mechanisms and the industrial application of new AI technologies, improve climate risk management and the early warning system, use advanced technology to extract more value from ecological products, facilitate the growth of new quality productive forces, and drive low-carbon development.

At the 28th UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in December, the first global review of the implementation of the Paris Agreement revealed a significant gap between the adaptation measures and mitigation commitments of the international community and the actions required to address long-term risks and achieve the Paris Agreement goals.

The CMA will work together with all parties in China to deepen international cooperation, fully integrate into the global climate governance mechanism, and make greater contributions to building a clean and beautiful world and safeguarding the Earth, the only place we can call home.

The author is head of China Meteorological Administration.The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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