China: Heatwave, Possible Flood Prompt Power Grid, Crop Damage Warnings

The Chinese government has issued several weather warnings due to heatwaves and probable floods.

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Meteorological Administration warned of significant agricultural damage and power grid pressure.

The authorities issued a warning on Sunday, saying that prolonged heat waves may hurt rice output. In the south, the government was encouraged to guarantee adequate agricultural water supplies to avoid extreme heat and early ripening. According to SCMP, the provinces of Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian are projected to hit 40 degrees Celsius during the next 10 days.

The China Meteorological Administration issued an amber heat alert. To mitigate hazards associated with heat, the alert recommended residents of the impacted regions restrict outdoor activities and urged those working outside to cut down on their hours. Increased energy consumption also puts a strain on electricity infrastructure. Thus, Chinese authorities advised the public to be cautious about fires.

Since June, China has been suffering a severe heatwave that analysts fear might be worse than last year's two-month heatwave.

Climate experts raise concerns the world average temperature saw its third record high in a week.
Scientists worry as global average temperatures reach a third record-high in a week. US climate scientists observed 17.23 degrees on Thursday, exceeding 17.01 and 17.18 degrees. El Niño and human-induced climate change are blamed for this temperature rise, as previously reported by TechTimes.

Air Raid Tunnels Converted into Cooling Facilities

To address the China heatwave, several towns, particularly Chongqing in the southwest, have converted air raid tunnels into public cooling facilities to counteract the oppressive heat.

These shelters, built-in 1937 during the Japanese invasion, now provide lounging places, access to water, snacks, medication for heat stroke, and amenities like Wi-Fi, TVs, and even table tennis equipment, per AP News.

Meanwhile, a worldwide conference on ecological civilization conducted in Guizhou Province becomes more pertinent amid these China heatwaves.

The Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2023, China's national-level international conference on environmental culture, got underway on Saturday in Guiyang.

The topic of this year's summit, which attended by over 2,500 people in both online and offline events, is "pursuing modernization of harmony between humanity and nature - promoting green and low-carbon development," per China.org.

On The Right Track

Danny Alexander, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Vice President, has stressed the seriousness of climate change. Alexander cited last year's Pakistan floods and this summer's China heatwaves as examples of global warming's effects.

Senior China Advisor and Head of the OECD Beijing Office Tamas Hajba praised China for its essential contribution to addressing climate change. Hajba stressed China's capacity to commercialize renewable energies at a rapid rate while pointing out China's leadership in the adoption of renewable energies and the manufacture of solar panels, new energy vehicles (NEVs), and batteries.

Beijing has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and a peak in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. The Chinese government has implemented several policies to encourage the use of renewable energy sources and lower carbon emissions, achieving substantial improvements in the two areas.