Beijing [China]: Amid the severe heatwave and drought on the Chinese mainland, which has severely affected the agriculture sector putting the harvest under “severe threat,” scientists have warned that more frequent and intense heatwaves may grip China due to climate change.
The world’s second-largest economy has been hit by record temperatures, flash floods and droughts this summer, phenomena that scientists have warned are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, CNA reported. The Agriculture ministry of China said that the ongoing heat wave is the worst China has seen since records began more than 60 years ago. Southern China in particular has recorded its longest sustained period of high temperatures and sparse rain.
The rice farmers of China have been worst hit by the recent drought and heatwave situation.
China produces more than 95 per cent of the rice, wheat and maize it consumes, but a reduced harvest could mean increased demand for imports in the world’s most populous country – putting further pressure on global supplies already strained by the conflict in Ukraine, CNA reported.
The water levels across China are so low that some inland river shipping routes are no longer safe, adding that “a lot of agricultural commodities that are imported passes through these shipping routes which will now be extended by five days, which will push up business costs.”
According to a Wall Street Journal report, China has received 40 per cent less rain this time. This is the lowest since 1961.
The heat is rising continuously from above, with many cities of China experiencing temperatures upto 49 degree Celsius.
The rise in temperature has increased the electricity consumption in the country, but hydropower stations failed to produce the required amount of electricity, resulting long power outages in many cities which have come as a shock to residents and farmers.
Sichuan, a province that is home to 80 million people in southwestern China, is experiencing havoc caused by the record heat wave and accompanying drought.
The power outage has dimmed skyscrapers, shut factories, darkened subways, and plunged homes and offices into rolling blackouts, forcing air conditioning to be unplugged — and killed thousands of poultry and fish at farms hit by electricity cuts.
The impact has been felt far and wide, from the neighbouring mega city of Chongqing and the eastern provinces along the Yangtze River to the financial hub of Shanghai.
Chongqing and Sichuan have also been battling wildfires since last week, exacerbated by high temperatures and water scarcity.
More than 1,500 people in the area surrounding Chongqing were evacuated on Monday after hot and dry conditions sparked multiple wildfires, according to state news agency Xinhua.
In rural Sichuan and Chongqing, the villagers are facing a scarcity of drinking and agricultural water. The increased demand of water forced them to take more water from the rivers for irrigation. Due to this, China’s largest river Yangtze has completely dried up in many places. Its size has also reduced considerably. Apart from this, 66 other rivers have also completely dried up.
China’s worst heat wave in six decades is deepening the economic challenges of the country. The Chinese officials have warned that the country may miss its 5.5 per cent growth target for the year. China’s economic growth slows to 0.4 per cent, The Washington Post reported.
The meteorological administration said that the high temperatures have basically been alleviated in the regions of south China, Jiangxi and Anhui.”
“But high temperatures will continue for the next three days in regions including the Sichuan basin and provinces surrounding Shanghai,” it added.
“The rapid development of drought superimposed with high temperatures and heat damage has caused a severe threat to autumn crop production,” the statement said.
The national meteorological service renewed its warnings for drought and high temperatures on Tuesday, calling for 11 provincial governments to “activate” emergency responses.
Eleven provinces currently have warnings in place for temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Chongqing, a self-administered city surrounded by Sichuan province, reached a record 112.1 degrees over the weekend, with highs over 104 degrees forecast to continue for about another week, according to The Washington Post.
China, the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, has sought to present itself as a global leader in climate action, touting its shift toward electric vehicles and other measures. But the country has continued to build new coal-fired power plants. This month, Beijing suspended bilateral climate talks with the United States in retaliation of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan. (ANI)