Strengthen the ability of city to address Climate Change --- Case Study of Beijing

Transcription

1 1 Strengthen the ability of city to address Climate Change --- Case Study of Beijing Introduction: Climate change is a global hot issue concerned by the international community. In recent years, climate change is one of the major issues in the international multilateral and bilateral activities. In December 2007, UN Climate Change Conference was held in Bali, Indonesia. The "Bali road map" for international negotiations on climate change passed as the direction of next step for the human action to the climate change. In this December, the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Copenhagen for the international negotiations on greenhouse gas emission reduction agreement after The evaluation report released by United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that during last century, the earth's climate is experiencing significant global. It has impacted and will continuously impact the world's natural eco-system and the economic and social development. As a developing country of responsibility, China attaches great importance to the issue of climate change. The National Coordination Committee on Climate Change was established, and a series of policies and measures to address climate change has been taken in the overall context of national sustainable development strategy, making positive contributions to the mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Beijing, as the capital of China, is the political, cultural center of the country, is the world famous ancient capital and modern international city. By the end of 2008, there was million permanent population in Beijing, the city's resident population density is 1,033 persons/sq km, the

2 2 population is large and the economic development is fast. With the climate change, Beijing's temperature rises year by year; the trend of precipitation is downward; the frequency of extreme weather events is increase in the trend; Climate change has already impacted Beijing's agriculture, ecology, water resources, energy consumption, human health, and many other aspects. Beijing s government attaches great importance to climate change. Since 1992, under the guidance of the strategy of sustainable development, a series of policies and measures for the promotion of energy-saving environmental protection and development of renewable energy has been established based on the situation of the city development; and a large-scale ecological environment construction has been carried out. Since 2001, taking preparations for the Olympics as an opportunity, adhering to the "People's Olympics, High-tech Olympics, Green Olympics" concept, a series of policies and measures has been adopted for the adjustment of industrial structure, improvement of energy efficiency and structure, protection of the ecological environment. It has made great efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emission and adapt to the climate change, and achieved remarkable results, and also laid the foundation for tackling further climate change. 1. Impacts and Challenges of Climate Change (1)Observations, Impacts and Trend of Climate Change Global warming is an indisputable fact. The Fourth IPCC scientific assessment report shows that global average surface temperature has increased by 0.74 during The latest 10 years is the hottest since records. The average temperature of the Northern Hemisphere in the second 50 years of the last century is the

3 3 highest in the past 1,300 years. Snow cover area of the Northern Hemisphere is significantly reduced; mountain glaciers and the Greenland ice sheet melting accelerate. Ocean warming caused thermal expansion of seawater. In the 20th century, the global average sea level rose about 0.17 meters. Global warming causes more extreme weather events happening. Global Climate Change will be continue and the affect will be increased. The IPCC predicts that global mean surface temperature by 2020 relative to the 20th century, some 20 years after the rise 0.4, to the end of this century may rise 1.1 ~ 6.4, which the land and in the northern hemisphere high latitudes warming the most significant. Precipitation is likely to increase in high latitudes; the most tropical and sub-tropical continental precipitation in the region may be reduced. High temperature, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will likely continue rising. Typhoons and hurricanes, wind speeds larger, more precipitation, damaging even more serious. The Millennium a frequency of floods may become a hundred years; flood frequency may become a case of 50 years or less; while in some areas, may occur in extreme events which never happen. The current impact of climate change has gradually emerged, reflected in the cryosphere, agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, coastal zones, human health and other aspects, the next impact will be more severe. (2)Observations and Impacts and Trend of Climate Change in China The trend of climate change in China is generally same as global climate change. China s annual average air temperature has increased by 1.1 C from 1908 to 2007, it is the most obvious in the northern region.

4 4 Most of the temperature rise was observed in the latest 50 years,the annual average air temperature has increased by 4 C in North China. In 2007, China s annual average temperature is the highest one since In 2008 China's annual average temperature is higher than general by 0.7, as the 7th warmest year since 1951, also the 12th consecutive year of above-normal values. In addition, China's urbanization process started relatively late, the urban heat island effect in the 1980s was more significant warming, and caused by more violent. Figure 1 The mean temperature trend of China from 1951 to 2008 Precipitation distribution pattern of China's has significantly changed. In the past 50 years, precipitation in the western region increased from about 15 to 50%; the eastern region frequently appears a "flood north, arid south". Forecast indicates that by 2020, China's average annual precipitation will slightly increase than the last 20 years of 20th century. In 2050, it will likely to increase from 2% to 5%. By the end of this century, it will likely to increase from 6% to 14%. The frequency and intensity of China's extreme weather events, has changed markedly. First, summer temperatures heat waves increased. Second, regional drought intensified. Third, heavy rainfall increased. In recent years, the historical record-breaking extreme

5 5 weather events appeared frequently. China is a victim of global warming. Global warming has and will continue to have a significant impact on China, and seriously threaten to our country's natural ecosystems and the economic and social development. Climate change in China brings the spring phenology 2 to 4 days forward. Water distribution is changing; the glacier area is decreasing in the Northwest; coastal sea level rise trend is accelerating. In addition, climate change may cause an increase in frequency and intensity of heat waves, deaths and serious illnesses caused by extreme high temperature events will increase. At the same time, extreme weather and climate events and weather disasters increasing accompanied by climate change increases the impact of the large and medium construction projects. Climate change may also significantly impact natural and human tourism resources and security in some regions. Because of global warming, it will also exacerbate the growth trends of air conditioning electricity consumption, and the pressure to the insurance of electricity supply. In addition, the process of urbanization increased frequency of high-temperature. Take Beijing as an example, its average temperature rose about 1.09 during 1908 ~ 2007, close to the country s in the same period, in which heat island intensity of annual warming rate is 0.34 per 10 years. Beijing s urbanization warming effect is one of the two factors causes warming of the local area. The value of the total warming is as much as 48.4%, while the climate system change factor takes 51.6% of the total warming. Discounting the effects of urbanization, the warming trend in Beijing should be 0.2 per 10 years due to climate change.

6 6 Figure 2 The impact of the Urbanization on average temperature in Beijing 2. Challenges and opportunities of Climate Change China is facing enormous international pressure to reduce gas emission. China's greenhouse gas emission is large and fast-growing. In 2006 China's emission per capita is 4.32 tons, more than the world average, 4.18 tons; 1/5 of the United States, 1/3 of OECD countries. Emission growth is fast. During , China's growth takes 56.5% of the world's total amount, while the U.S. accounts is only 3.2%. The quality of China's domestic economic and social development needs to be improved. To protect the economic development of China's current total energy demand growth trends difficult to effectively control, energy consumption control, and the difficulties of adjustment of energy structure and greater than expected. China's energy, resources and the environment has entered a crucial period, energy-saving emission reduction will be difficult, while the extreme weather and climate disasters are frequency, the loss increased. China's greenhouse gas emission is large, fast-growing, mainly because of China's huge population, the development in the industrialization, urbanization and modernization stage, low level of

7 7 development, obsolete technology and equipment, strong energy consumption. In the primary energy consumption structure of China, coal account is about 70%, the one of few coal-based countries. At the same time, the developed countries transferring a large number of the high energy consumption and high pollution industries to China and other developing countries, named transfer emission (accounting for China s total emission of %), is also an important factor. To react to climate change, China will be guided by the following principles: To follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities of the UNFCCC. To react to climate change in the framework of sustainable development. To place equal emphasis on both mitigation and adaptation; Adhere to the principles of scientific and technological innovation and transfer of technology Chinese President Hu Jintao presented on the U.N. summit for climate change On Sep.22 that China will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase reliance on clean energy sources in coming years. In his most specific proposal, Hu said China will increase forest cover by 40 million hectares by 2020 as a way to offset greenhouse gas emissions by industrial polluters, cars, airplanes and other sources. The increase, equal to more than 150,000 square miles, or an area almost as big as California, would be based on China's forest cover in It is both a challenge and new opportunities to react to climate change. Climate change makes China to enhance economic competence, promote technological innovation, changes the mode of development opportunities. The global development trend of low-carbon energy technologies provides the advanced energy technologies and industrialization of leap-forward development opportunities. Establishing

8 8 a global low-carbon economic development model and the trend of consumption patterns in low-carbon society creates an environment conducive to change the mode of economic development. 3. To strengthen the capacity of cities to adapt climate change Currently the world's 3.2 of 6.5 billion population live in cities (almost 50%). This figure is expected to increase to nearly 4.0 billion accounted as 61% of the total global population in Cities are population and business intensive areas. Not only the greenhouse gas emission, but also the greatest impact regions of climate change. Cities should committed to energy saving and emission reduction obligations. Even more important is to make people adapt to climate change. So there is an urgent need for the popularization of knowledge of climate changes, risk assessment for coping with climate disasters, plan to react to extreme weather events, and long-term strategy for reacting to climate change. On the other hand, climate change brings the opportunities that the development and production of clean energy will get more support; the scientific and technological cooperation among countries will also be closer. Address climate change, including two aspects, which are mitigating the greenhouse gas emission and adapting to climate change. Mitigation of greenhouse gas emission related to the optimization and upgrading industrial structure, in-depth promotion of industrial, construction, public agencies, transportation and other key areas of energy efficiency, optimizing and adjusting the energy consumption structure, accelerating the development of wind energy, solar and other clean energy, controlling the greenhouse gas emission in major industrial and agricultural

9 9 production process, enhancing the capabilities of management and processing of the waste source, and enhancing the carbon sinks and so on. Mitigation and adaptation to CC should be paid equal attentions. Mitigation and adaptation to climate change is an integral work. Mitigation is a relatively long-term and arduous task, while the adaptation is more practical, urgent and particularly important especially for developing countries. Now, I take Beijing as an example to talk about strengthening the cities adaptation to climate change capacity-building proposals: (A) Strengthen the agricultural adaptation to climate change capacity-building Strengthen the farmland infrastructure and management. Encourage the promotion of agriculture and conservation tillage techniques. Implement the seasonal bare farmland management. Vigorously strengthen the building of quality farmland. By 2010, the city's conservation tillage area will be over 90%. Adjust crop varieties and cropping systems. Take full advantage of climate change such as heat and carbon dioxide concentrations increase in favorable factors to adjust the layout of crop varieties, planting systems, sowing and transplanting period; take full advantage of favorable result of winter warming to develop facilities and agriculture; cultivate and promote high temperature resistant, dry resistant, moderate cold resistant and high light efficiency crop and variety. Develop urban-based ecological agriculture. Promote livestock and poultry manure, straw and other waste to bio-energy conversion cycle of agricultural technology. Promote water-saving irrigation techniques, water-saving agricultural and farmland in situ rainwater collection

10 10 techniques. All plain farmland achieves water-saving irrigation. Reward farmers who are below the limit of water, while collect strictly agricultural water fee from farmers who exceed the prescribed limit. Strengthen the agricultural risk management and disaster prevention. Attach importance to the risk of wind erosion and desertification of farmland caused by the climate warming and winter crops reduction. Spread alternative winter crop, residue cover and tillage techniques. Pay attention to climate change causing evolvement law changes of the harmful organism. Adjust the strategies for integrated prevention and control of plant, pest and animal diseases. Prepare agricultural damage assessment criteria; improve the agricultural insurance system. (B) Improve the ability of water resources to adapt climate change Improve drought response capacity. Investigate the project for water resources management plans. Prepare the serious water shortage of upstream water contingency plans. In the years of drought and significantly water-storage, expand the area and intensity of artificial rainfall operations in the rainy season. Strengthen the water sources environmental protection. Actively investigate the ecological compensation system for water source protection area. Progress the construction of water conservation forest. Construct eco-cleaning small watershed around centralized drinking water sources protection area. Integrate the soil and water conservation, pollution control and natural healing together. By 2010, all water source protection areas achieve centralized garbage disposal and household toilet remolding.. Relocate the large-scale farms in the key surface water source areas. Improve the water ecosystem. Strengthen inter-regional cooperation in

11 11 river pollution control. Develop the comprehensive treatment of river water environment. Develop ecological clean watershed management, by taking small watershed as the basic management cells; implement unified planning, protection and management synchronously. Strengthen the water-saving management. Actively develop water-saving high-end industries. Establish the water price system adapt to the economic development. Establish water-saving incentive policies and measures. Promote the development of water-saving demonstration zone, enterprises and community. Promote new water-saving technologies and products. Speed up the construction of reclaimed water transmission and distribution projects to expand the recycled water irrigated greenbelt and agricultural area. Strictly implement green construction management. Promote water-saving construction. Encourage the use of recycled water in the construction site. Improve the capacity of rainwater utilization. Investigate the feasibility of rainwater storage in building. Build rainwater stagnation zone and large underground reservoirs in suitable low-lying areas for rainwater storage and collection. Promote dank paving bricks and other rainwater utilization projects in city-owned parks. (C) Strengthen the ecosystem conservation and ecological environment Strengthen interregional cooperation to improve the surrounding ecological environment. The first is to positively recommend and accomplish country to enhance the support to the surrounding provinces, especially the management of the ecological environment in the upriver region. The second is to create ecological water conservation forest, forest protection cooperation, integrated watershed management and

12 12 other ecological construction projects; and actively guide the publics to participate the ecological construction in sandstorm-affected areas. Strengthen the protection and management of city's forests, grasslands and other major ecosystem. Improve the ecological forest compensation system. Increase public revenue. Encourage peasants initiative to participate in ecological construction and protection. Select heat-resistant and drought-resistant trees according to climate change, and improve the cultivating techniques. Optimize the forest structure. Establish and nurture stable and efficient forest ecosystems. Strengthen the supervision and management of soil erosion. By 2010, the city's comprehensive control of soil erosion rate reaches 70%. Modify flowers and trees planted species according to different situations in different regions. Modify the trees varieties, green belts, plant varieties according to the natural objects change on condition of climate change. Develop buildings climbing plants. Expand drought-resistant grass and shrubs. Limit the high water-consumed lawn. Landscape planning and design of new rural communities should consider the viewing, production and ecological value, on the premise of adapting to the future climate change and maintaining the village character. Introduce the species which are able to adapt to the local climate, soil varieties. Take effective measures to conserve biological diversity. Increase the intensity of nature reserves. Protect the biological diversity. The nature reserve area of the city's land area reaches 10% by Strengthen the study of adaptive nature reserves management system and techniques in the context of climate change. Strengthen the observation and investigation of impact of climate change on wild plants and animals,

13 13 and invasive alien species invading. Study the maternity laws of thermophilic on condition of the climate warming and water reduction in urban. Arrest the over-increasing of thermophilic algae and water eutrophication by using biotechnology. (D) Enhance the facilities' ability to adapt climate change Enhance rational design and operation of urban functions. Carry out services for the feasibility study of urban planning and construction and major construction projects. Develop the plan for urban construction of sustainable development, response programs for defending extreme weather events and disaster, and play an active role in that. Rationally use climatic resources. Avoid or mitigate the possible weather disasters, climate change impacts after planning and implementation of construction projects, or the impact on local climate. Ensure the necessary urban green space and water area to the control the heat island effect. Set aside the wind corridors leading from outskirts to downtown. Maintain a reasonable distance between buildings for ventilation. Vigorously promote new energy-saving building design and materials which insulate the heat. Enhance the stable operation of urban infrastructure and emergency response capacity. Develop special contingency plans for power grids, gas, heating, drainage, transportation and other critical infrastructure responding to meteorological disasters. Ensure the safe operation in weather disasters. Further improve the coordination of joint system of the city gas, electricity, heating scheduling system. Improve coordination among the various professionals. Achieve integrated management of urban energy supply systems. Improve energy supply security and emergency handling capacity. Improve the urban drainage

14 14 system. Properly expand the city's water system. Use low-lying topography to build rainwater stagnation zone. Build row combination of city flood control system. Enhance the ability to respond to the storm in local areas. Construct urban transport emergency command system. (e) Improve the ability to cope with extreme weather and climate events Strengthen the rule of meteorological research and disaster monitoring and forecasting work. Protect meteorological environment. Modify weather laws and regulations. Establish and improve weather disaster early warning systems covering different regions of the city. Process the meteorological disaster risk and loss of the pre-assessment of different regions. Optimize all kinds of resources for disaster reduction. Make the appropriate capacity-building in disaster prevention and mitigation. Establish different professional skilled volunteer teams; process regularly training and exchanging to improve rescue and emergency response capabilities. (f) To improve human health and the ability to adapt climate change Improve the public health emergency response capacity. Strengthen the study of the possible spreading diseases regulation and control techniques on condition of climate warming. Build Beijing emergency relief centers with unified command, dispatching all emergency medical resources. Establish a modern emergency medical rescue system. Process universal education on human health adapting to the climate change. For the elderly, the sick, disabled and other people who are vulnerable to extreme weather events process health education to adapt to climate change.