How Chinese Cities Can Turn 'Crisis' into 'Opportunity' Amid the Climate Crisis (AI Translation)

气候危机下的中国城市如何转“危”为“机”

[para. 1] At the end of October, Storm Dana brought heavy rains to Spain's Valencia region, leading to catastrophic flooding and the tragic loss of 217 lives. In China, this summer was the hottest recorded since 1961, with many individuals in cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou suffering from heatstroke, necessitating intensive care treatment. These instances highlight the increasing impact of climate change on global health and safety.

[para. 2] Cities, as centers of economic activity and residence, are at the forefront of tackling climate risks, but existing global climate models lack precise data granularity. The World Resources Institute (WRI) has employed a new statistical model that integrates nine global climate models to assess changes in climate risk indicators in nearly 1,000 major cities worldwide, under 1.5°C and 3°C warming scenarios.

[para. 3] Focusing on Chinese cities, the study indicates that if global temperatures rise by over 3°C, these cities will experience longer and hotter summers, with a 70% increase in high-temperature days annually. The Yangtze and Pearl River Delta regions will become more prone to prolonged heatwaves, increasing the demand for air conditioning infrastructure and energy efficiency improvements.

[para. 4] Climate-related disasters, including landslides and outbreaks of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, are expected to become more frequent in China. The WRI found that the risk of landslides in Chinese urban areas could rise by 13% if the temperature increases reach 3°C, with vector-borne disease spread days rising significantly in 103 cities.

[para. 5] China is one of the most disaster-prone countries, as evidenced by the 50.382 million people affected by floods and geological disasters in 2024 alone, leading to significant economic losses and casualties. With global temperatures expected to rise further, urban areas will face increased challenges requiring coordinated mitigation and adaptation efforts.

[para. 6] Global leaders, especially those from the G20 countries, which account for roughly 80% of greenhouse gas emissions, must demonstrate increased responsibility by drastically reducing emissions and updating climate policies. No G20 member is currently on track to meet net-zero emission targets, necessitating urgent policy revisions to curb extreme weather frequency.

[para. 7] The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku saw China release the "China Action Plan for Early Warning to Promote Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027)," emphasizing global risk assessment, early warning network establishment, and climate adaptation partnerships.

[para. 8] In China, urban areas are responsible for 80% of carbon emissions. Cities like Shenzhen have successfully reduced carbon emissions by 45% by building near-zero carbon communities and promoting low-carbon lifestyles, without compromising residents' quality of life. These initiatives aim to create replicable experiences that facilitate national carbon peak and reduction strategies.

[para. 9][para. 10] Constructing climate-resilient infrastructure is critical to ensuring societal safety amid more extreme weather events. Improving infrastructure climate resilience is not merely a cost but an investment in the future, providing significant economic and social returns. For example, sponge city initiatives using Nature-based Solutions can yield significant benefits in disaster prevention and water management, with every yuan invested potentially yielding 2 to 20 yuan in returns over the next 30 years.