China aims to build climate-resilient society by 2035

Author: Xinhua/APP

BEIJING: China has detailed measures to boost its climate change monitoring and risk prevention capabilities, marking a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to enhance its climate resilience.

The country will seek to basically build a climate-resilient society by 2035, with significant improvements in its ability to adapt to climate change, according to the national climate change adaptation strategy 2035, jointly released by 17 departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

By 2035, the country’s climate change monitoring and early warning capability will reach an advanced level globally, while the climate risk management and prevention system will basically mature, according to the document.

It added that China will take measures to prevent and control major climate-related disaster risks in an effective manner, and further improve the technical and standard system for adapting to climate change.

China first issued a national climate change adaptation strategy in 2013, and for the first time made climate change adaptation a national strategy. Since then, the country has made positive results in improving adaptation to climate change in key regions and industries.

As the global climate further warms, the long-term adverse effects and extreme weather events brought about by climate change will pose an increasingly serious threat to China’s economic development, said Xu Huaqing, head of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, in a co-authored note.

The document underlined measures to improve climate change monitoring and forecasting services, enhance assessment of climate change impacts and risks, and strengthen disaster prevention and mitigation.

China will integrate climate change response with its territorial space planning efforts, and improve the climate resilience of major strategic regions.

Supporting measures concerning fiscal and financial services, technology, and international cooperation will be also implemented in tandem with the country’s climate resilience construction.