Severely suffering from climate change, China is now taking
active steps to solve the problem. For the first time, a national
program is being introduced to help the country adapt climate
change, according to a high-ranking environmental official.
It is vital that a common program be adopted across all
government agencies, due to the urgency with which the central
government is handling climate change. A remaining problem is that
most local officials are still not aware of the issue's severity,
said Lu Xuedu, deputy director of the Ministry of Science and
Technology's division of environmental affairs.
Lu claimed the program will cap greenhouse gas emissions, and
aim to develop climate-friendly technologies.
The facts and effects of climate change will be publicized at a
grassroots level, and will provide precise policies to support
climate-related international cooperation and technology transfers,
the official said.
The draft of the program would be submitted for approval by the
State Council later this month, Lu told China Daily.
However, they said the program would in effect be "more of a
guideline" rather than setting specific targets, since to set such
precise goals would be unrealistic for certain areas at this
time.
Initially spread over three years, environmental officials hope
the program could eventually be expanded and maintain its impact
over a longer period.
Zou Ji, a climate policy expert involved in drafting the
program, noted China's progress in terms of energy efficiency,
recycling energy as well as coal and gas exploration.
Furthermore, the program will have a legal background, imposing
that all government agencies collaborate in battling climate
change, said Zou, a professor with Renmin University.
Lu says China faces a mounting challenge in implement plans to
alleviate global warming.
A recent report confirmed that temperatures would continue
rising throughout this century due to increased energy consumption
and greenhouse gas emissions, with warmer winters across North
China being among the most obvious features.
The report came from six central government agencies and
academic bodies, including including the Ministry of Science and
Technology, the China Meteorological Administration and the Chinese
Academy of Sciences.
It predicted that China would see an average temperature rise of
1.3 to 2.1 ℃ by 2020, and 2.3 to 3.3 ℃ by 2050.
Another report released by the State Oceanic Administration last
month also warned of a rapid rise in sea levels.
It stated that sea-levels have risen by 2.5 mm per annum of
late, and predicted that in the next 3-10 years, the average level
would rise by 9-31 mm over 2006 levels.
"The speed is astonishing," Lu said. "Coastal cities including
Shanghai and Guangzhou will confront unimaginable challenges if the
situation deteriorates."
(China Daily February 16, 2007)