Global Courant 2023-05-15 11:19:00
BEIJING — Major Chinese cities have issued heat warnings, with temperatures expected to exceed 36 degrees Celsius in Beijing on Monday, as China braces for another year of record-breaking temperatures that could threaten electricity supplies, crops and a fragile economy.
China has been experiencing heat waves in several parts of the country since March.
Recently, Yunnan province has been ravaged by temperatures in excess of 40°C, which is especially taxing on power grids as millions of homes begin to turn on air conditioners.
In recent days, Shandong province and Beijing have issued heat warnings.
Densely populated cities such as Jinan, Tianjin and Zhengzhou are expected to see temperatures as high as 37 degrees Celsius.
China’s Meteorological Administration has warned regions to prepare for more extreme heat in 2023.
Sporadic heat waves occur prior to the regular summer season – also of particular concern for the agricultural sector.
Damaged crops could drive up food prices, exacerbate inflation and put pressure on China’s economy as it tries to recover from a three-year Covid-zero policy that hampered growth.
Yunnan in the southwest, historically known for its mild weather, had just 35mm of rain in the year to April 20, state broadcaster CCTV recently reported.
Rainfall in the provincial capital of Kunming was less than 8 mm, the lowest since records began.
Weather experts continually blame climate change on global warming for the recent harsh weather.
The latest assessment from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also predicts the high likelihood of the El Nino weather phenomenon returning later in 2023.
“The development of an El Nino will most likely lead to another spike in global warming and increase the likelihood of temperature record breaking,” said WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas. REUTERS
