Can China Balance Climate and Energy Concerns Amid Increasing Extreme Weather?
On June 19 at 3:44 am, Tang Kaili, a housewares retailer in Guilin, China, received a government alert about an upstream reservoir releasing floodwater. Tang, unaware of the alert, was awoken hours later by a call from her property manager as water levels began rising rapidly. By 8:50 am, Tang found herself wading through knee-deep water, rushing to salvage her submerged shop. The severe flood in Guilin, triggered by torrential rains and reservoir releases, marked the city’s worst since 1998.
Guilin is not alone. This summer, extreme weather has wreaked havoc across China. Twelve provinces from the south to the northeast have been inundated by heavy rains and floods, while others like Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong face scorching droughts. China experienced its hottest July and single month since 1961, with regions such as Xinjiang, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, and Nanchang enduring over 20 days of temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F).
These weather extremes have had a devastating impact. Fatalities and significant economic losses are mounting. Typhoon Gaemi, for example, led to 30 deaths and 35 missing persons in Hunan province. Heavy rain-induced landslides and 20 rounds of flooding since April have left a trail of destruction from Guangdong to Chongqing. The agricultural sector has also suffered, with early-season rice harvests expected to drop due to floods in Jiangxi and Hunan.
China's ability to manage natural disasters, involving warnings, precautionary measures, and mobilization of rescue efforts, is being tested by increasingly severe and sudden weather events. The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) reports a notable rise in extreme heat and rainstorms in the 21st century, exacerbated by climate change. Last year marked China's highest average annual temperature since records began in 1901.
Greenhouse gas emissions are largely blamed for these intensified weather patterns. Despite pledges to control coal-fired power generation, China's approvals for new coal plants have surged post-pandemic. This contradicts national goals to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2060, complicating the balance between climate action and energy security.
Experts stress the importance of reducing carbon emissions. Southern China's heavy summer rainfall, part of the monsoon season, is intensified by climate change. Extreme weather is not only damaging agriculture but also severely impacting industries such as shipping.
China's response includes improving disaster preparedness and infrastructure. The country is revising its flood control law, last updated in 2016, to incorporate higher standards and advanced technologies. Machine-learning weather forecasting models, developed recently, have shown better accuracy in predicting extreme weather.
Progress in disaster management is evident, yet challenges remain. The 2015 "sponge city" initiative aimed at flood resilience through infrastructure upgrades has limits, as demonstrated by catastrophic floods in Zhengzhou three years ago. Recent measures in Beijing to open zones for flood drainage have displaced thousands in neighboring Hebei, highlighting the complexities of balancing immediate relief with long-term sustainability.
The ongoing struggle between addressing immediate energy needs and committing to long-term climate goals remains critical. China, as the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, must navigate this delicate balance to mitigate the impacts of climate change while ensuring energy and food security for its population.
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