China faces the worst heat wave in modern history: rivers and lakes dry up, water shortages for crops, industry suffers from energy shortages | Globalism

The phenomenon began on June 13, and is considered the most dangerous based on three different criteria:

• heat intensity
• Affected geographical area
• Duration

The heat wave has so far lasted 75 days, 12 days more than the previous record, in 2013. The National Center of Meteorology lowered the severity of the warning from red to orange, after 12 days at the maximum level, But temperatures are still above 40 degrees Celsius In different regions of the country.

See the following topics in this text:

• How big is the drought?
• Why is the country suffering from a heat wave?
• What are the effects of this heat wave?
• What are the government’s responses?
• What is China doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

How big is the drought?

Nearly 1,500 weather observatories in China have recorded temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius. The number of records above 40 degrees Celsius also broke records.

This year, the average number of consecutive days of high temperatures in China is 12 – in normal times, that averages 6.9 days.

Chongqing, in the southwest of the country, was one of the hardest-hit areas. Footage posted on social media on Wednesday showed residents of the area fainting due to the sweltering heat during the mandatory COVID-19 test.

Chongqing city temperature reached 45°C (11 days with temperatures above 40°C).

Why is the country suffering from a heat wave?

Scientists have already said that extreme weather events around the world are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

China’s average temperature has risen faster than the world’s over the past 70 years, and will remain much higher in the future, according to the local government.

The country’s climate department said in an assessment published in early August that the region is sensitive to climate change, and that temperatures have risen by 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade since 1951 (the rest of the world has recorded a rise of 0.15 degrees Celsius per decade). ).

“In the future, the average regional temperature rise in China will be much higher than in the rest of the world,” said Yuan Jiazhuang, deputy director of the National Climate Center of China.

What are the effects of a heat wave?

Heat dehydration was responsible for leaving stranded shipsdue to a crisis of hydropower supply and forced major cities to use less electricity.

Due to the lack of water in the reservoirs for hydroelectric power generation, it was necessary operating coal-fired power plants, which is more polluting.

high temperatures It hinders the cultivation and development of agricultural products, and threatens livestock Industries were forced to close in some areas of the country to secure electricity supply to homes.

Lake Poyang, the country’s largest freshwater body, Shrink by more than two thirds of its size.

The country also suffers from fires, especially in the central parts of the country near the Yangtze River (this river is the longest waterway in Asia).

Lin Chong, a professor at City University of Hong Kong who studies the impact of climate change on agriculture, says that problems from water shortages in agriculture can spread to other sectors linked to food production and that there could be an increase in food prices or even a supply crisis. food if the situation becomes more severe.

What is the government doing?

One plan to solve the more pressing problems is to try to “plant” the rain by releasing artifacts that carry chemicals into the sky.

However, the lack of cloud cover has hampered these initiatives in some areas of the country.

Leaders asked people not to overuse air conditioners. Government employees in some counties have been asked to use stairs instead of elevators whenever possible.

The Chongqing government has implemented measures to protect the problem livestock and pig farms.

What has China done against greenhouse gas emissions?

China is The largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world (The most important ones are carbon dioxide and methane). The country has committed to reducing the amount of emissions from 2030 and becoming carbon neutral in 2060.

The severity of recent weather phenomena has made people begin to discuss climate change in the country more. The country’s government has for years recognized the need to limit global warming, and There is a transition to energies such as solar energy and wind energy, in the country. The government is discussing how and how quickly to switch from generation to coal for cleaner.

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