Major new national climate adaptation plan demands that China will have to spend billions more investing in detecting natural disasters such as severe typhoons and drought
China has spent more than $36 billion coping with impacts of climate change such as drought and flooding during the past two decades, according to a major new adaptation blueprint unveiled by the government this week.
The country’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has published its first national plan on adapting to climate change, which also revealed that more than 2000 people have died since 1990 because of extreme weather events.
Media reports say the paper sets out a regional approach for adaptation.
It also calls for more investment in areas such as early warning systems for natural disasters, developing sustainable farming practices and protecting nature and building infrastructure.
“Climate change is already affecting the survival and sustainability of the environment and development in many areas,” the document said.
The document adds that China has already experienced more frequent droughts in the north of the country, floods in the south, as well as more severe typhoons, snow, low temperatures and heat waves.
The country has spent more than $36bn dealing with the impacts of climate change, it said.
The report also warns that climate change has caused unstable agriculture production and increased serious water shortages, and called for more work to raise public awareness of the impacts of climate change and boost disaster response measures.
Climate policy officer at Greenpeace East Asia, Li Shuo, told the Wall Street Journal newspaper that the document marked a turning point in China’s attitude to dealing with climate change.
“We are in a stage where the country realises that mitigation isn’t enough and that adaptation is very important,” he said.
“It’s good to see that on a national level, the country is picking this matter up.”
The plan comes as some of the worst air pollution ever recorded in China receded, with air pollution levels in Shanghai falling to “light”.
However, seven of the first 10 days of December had recorded heavy pollution, prompting the government to advise children and elderly people to stay indoors, order cars off the roads, and ground airlines.
