Guide.
To combat global climate change, it is not enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events triggered by climate change requires more climate adaptation measures in countries, especially in urban areas. Taking climate adaptation action should not be seen as a burden, but as an investment in the future well-being of humanity and economic resilience. In China and other countries, many cities have already taken creative approaches to climate adaptation, and countries should strengthen exchanges and share knowledge and experiences in this regard.
by Patrick Verkooijen
Chief Executive Officer, Global Center for Adaptation.
World leaders are gathering in Dubai for COP28 to assess the status of the Paris Agreement and discuss next steps.
We are well aware that the current global progress in reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions is slow and far from sufficient to limit global warming to 1Targets within 5 degrees Celsius. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2023**, atmospheric temperatures will rise by 2 percent this century without more effective action9 degrees Celsius.
In China and elsewhere, the consequences of climate change are evident. Storms, floods and droughts are wreaking havoc, claiming lives and endangering livelihoods. We must prepare for future climate change and unstable weather. It is especially urgent that cities and towns are most at risk during these disasters and must adapt their strategies in response to change. About 60% of China's population now lives in cities. It is estimated that China's low-lying, densely populated coastal cities house one-fifth of China's population and generate one-third of the country's GDP, while these cities are suffering from frequent flooding, storms and erosion.
Moreover, in the interior of Chinese mainland, many cities have become vulnerable after decades of rapid construction and expansion. People's lives and homes, livelihoods and hard-won prosperity are at stake. At this rate, climate change will result in a loss of 0 percent of GDP by 20305%-2.3%。This means that we should not see climate adaptation action as a burden, but as an investment in the future well-being and economic resilience of humanity. It is estimated that for every $1 invested in adaptation to climate change, there are economic benefits of up to $10.
In September 2013, China issued the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, and in May 2022, many ministries and commissions in China issued the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change 2035, aiming to improve the early warning of extreme weather and strengthen the work of adapting to climate change.
The strategy mentions that 28 cities (districts and counties) will be selected nationwide to carry out pilot projects for the construction of climate-resilient cities, and explore a management model for urban climate adaptation construction that is in line with local conditions.
The Global Center on Adaptation is working with China's coastal cities to improve their resilience to climate change through planning, designing, and implementing targeted policies and projects. Our goal is to share the knowledge we have gained from our work in the low-lying Dutch city of Rotterdam, where the center is headquartered, and elsewhere in the world, while making our experience in China available to leaders and citizens in other cities to help them combat climate change.
In China, some cities have already made outstanding achievements in adapting to climate change. The city of Changde in Hunan Province is an example. With a population of nearly 6 million, Changde is crisscrossed by tributaries of the Yuanshui River, many of which are either divided or covered by buildings, resulting in frequent flash floods. But by reconnecting the river and developing public green spaces, Changde has improved its drainage system, protected its infrastructure, and created 69 hectares of recreational space.
Jiaozhou in Qingdao, Shandong Province, is another "sponge city" that has improved its ability to cope with heavy rainfall. By building permeable surfaces and reservoirs, Jiaozhou can collect up to 80% of stormwater runoff for non-potable uses, such as flushing toilets, reducing the likelihood of flooding to a 50-year occurrence.
A final example is the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, which has significantly reduced its risk of flooding in the Yangtze River. The city of Wuhan has converted a section of the embankment into a 7-kilometre gentle slope river beach park to help cope with extreme summer rainfall. The park is home to 45,000 trees that naturally filter runoff while providing plenty of space for residents to relax.
In 2019, the Global Adaptation Center opened its first international office in Beijing, working with China to find cost-effective ways to reach the regions and people most vulnerable to climate change. I have compared the adaptation efforts of Rotterdam and Shanghai to climate change, and I was most struck by the similar challenges they face and the creative responses they have taken.
Leaders at COP28 must follow through on their pledge to double finance for adaptation to climate change by 2025. Who should do what and when to stop global warming?Who should help poor countries adapt to climate change?There is no doubt that these big, crucial issues will surely provoke heated debates among the leaders of the parties present. But we should also recognize that climate change is a global problem that everyone is aware of. Sharing knowledge and experience with other countries on how to improve the resilience of cities to climate change is not just a matter of diplomacy, but also of common sense.
China**.
This article was originally written as:"pressed for time"
Editor-in-charge |Liu Xia.
Edit |Zhang Zhao.
Xi students Qin Ke, Li Jingwei and Wang Shiyin also contributed.
*: China**Net.