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2016 | Buch

Climate and Environmental Change in China: 1951–2012

herausgegeben von: Dahe Qin, Yongjian Ding, Mu Mu

Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Buchreihe : Springer Environmental Science and Engineering

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SUCHEN

Über dieses Buch

Through numerous color figures and tables, this book presents the most up-to-date knowledge on climate and environmental change in China. It documents the evidence and attribution of climate and environmental changes in the past few decades and discusses the impacts of climate change on environments, economy, and society. The book further provides projections of climate change and its impacts in the future. Finally, it offers the climate change mitigation and adaption technologies with strategic options which will be of interest for policy makers, researchers and the general public as well.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Climate, Environmental, and Socioeconomic Characteristics of China
Abstract
The features of the natural environment in China were described in this chapter, including topography, hydrology and water resources, cryospheric resources, plants, animals and biodiversity, soil types and land resources, and ocean and islands. After that, an eco-geographical region system of depicting zonal distribution of physiographical factors was introduced. China’s climate is governed by its geography and topography, with most of the territory falling in the monsoon zone. The most direct component influencing China’s climate is the East Asian atmospheric circulation (monsoon). Climate zoning in China provides a service for targeted industrial and agricultural activities, and socioeconomic development, and also a scientific basis for climate change adaptation. However, China is susceptible to weather and climatic disasters. As one of the world’s emerging economies, China has experienced rapid and stable socioeconomic development, industrialization, urbanization, and further internationalization since the introduction of reform and opening-up policy, ranking second of gross domestic product (GDP) around the world. At present, China is confronted with two main challenges: addressing climate change in the international arena and protecting its resources and environment with a domestic socioeconomic transition.
Dahe Qin, Shu Tao, Suocheng Dong, Yong Luo
Chapter 2. Climatic and Environmental Changes in China
Abstract
This chapter addresses climate change of instrumental era in China, including changes in the distribution and regional characteristics of the temperature, precipitation, Asian monsoon, general circulations, extreme weather and climate events, cryosphere (glaciers, frozen ground, and snow cover), sea-level rise, sea surface temperature (SST), and salinity. It also assesses climate variations on different timescales (130, 20, 10, 2, and 0.5 ka) based on proxy archives such as sediments, ice cores, tree rings, and historical documents. Lastly, the advances in numerical paleoclimate simulation are summarized.
Yong Luo, Dahe Qin, Renhe Zhang, Shaowu Wang, De’er Zhang
Chapter 3. The Attribution of Climate Change and Its Uncertainty
Abstract
Earth’s climate has undergone changes caused by both natural and human factors. The natural factors include solar variability, volcanic eruptions, and interactions within the climate system. The human factors affecting climate are the changes in the composition of the atmosphere (including increases in the concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols) caused by industrial and social activities, and changes in land use and coverage. For the past century, the effect of solar variability on climate (climatic forcing) has been 1 % less than that of human activities; the effect of energy within the Earth (geothermal flows) is currently 6 % of that of human factors. On interannual and interdecadal scales, internal climate system factors and their interactions, especially ocean–atmosphere interactions, may be moderately related to global temperature changes; however, it is difficult to determine their contribution to climate change on scales longer than 100 years. Most recent global warming can be essentially attributed to human activities, although uncertainties still exist because of the limitations in observational data, the gaps in our current understanding of the way physical processes affect climate systems, and the various scenarios of future changes.
Guangyu Shi, Yong Luo, Xiaoye Zhang, Guirui Yu, Renhe Zhang, Xuejie Gao, Wenjie Dong
Chapter 4. Impacts of Climate Change on the Environment, Economy, and Society of China
Abstract
This chapter evaluates the characteristics and extent of impacts of modern climate change on the hydrology, ecology, agriculture, health, economy, and society of China. The impacts of climate change on water resources, hydrological processes, the cryosphere, and ocean hydrological processes are analyzed, as well as the impacts on land ecosystems, desertification, and soil erosion. The impact of global sea-level change on marine ecology and the coastal environment is comprehensively assessed. The chapter also summarized the impact of climate change on farming, animal husbandry, forestry, aquaculture, and fisheries.
Yongjian Ding, Mu Mu, Jianyun Zhang, Tong Jiang, Tingjun Zhang, Chunyi Wang, Lixin Wu, Baisheng Ye, Manzhu Bao, Shiqiang Zhang
Chapter 5. Projections of Climate Change and Its Impacts
Abstract
Results from multiple CMIP5 model ensembles projected a warmer climate in China with a general increase of precipitation in the future. Under the emission scenario of RCP8.5, a warming of 5.1 °C and 13.5 % increase of precipitation is projected in the end of the twenty-first century. However, spread areas with decreased precipitation are simulated by the higher resolution regional climate model. Climate change leads to the northward shift of the crop cultivation boundaries. The yield of wheat, maize, and paddy rice will decrease if the CO2 fertilization is not considered. Northward shift of different types of forest and significant reduction of the tundra coverage over the Tibetan Plateau are expected. Although increases in the surface runoff depth are found in many areas, the shortage of water resources in the Haihe and Yellow River basins will be hard to be relieved. Sea-level rise due to the warming, plus the relative rise due to the over-extracting of ground water, will thread the local ecosystems as well as the social and economic society.
Wenjie Dong, Mu Mu, Xuejie Gao
Chapter 6. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Technology and Policy Options
Abstract
China has adopted a wide range of measures in the energy sector including energy conservation, renewable energy, and nuclear energy development, as well as in the field of climate change adaptation. These practical actions enabled China to achieve considerable progress and development in climate change mitigation and adaptation, which also provides strong support for China’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Under the scenario of global temperature rising more than 3 °C in the future, implementing adaptation actions in China will require additional capital inputs, new policy guidance, and strengthened research and development of new technologies, in order to offset the negative impacts of climate change. By reinforcing policies and promoting technological advancement, China may expect its CO2 emissions to peak before 2030, or even 2025, to contribute to meeting the target of limiting global warming to 2 °C.
Erda Lin, Kejun Jiang, Xiulian Hu, Juncheng Zuo, Maosong Li, Hui Ju
Chapter 7. Strategic Options to Address Climate Change
Abstract
China’s rapid economic growth has led to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions being ranked highest in the world. Although addressing climate change not only presents severe challenges, but it also presents opportunities, mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change that will allow China to meet its future development demands in a sustainable way.
Jiahua Pan, Ying Chen, Haibin Zhang, Manzhu Bao, Kunming Zhang
Chapter 8. Concluding Remarks
Abstract
This chapter brings together key information contained in “Evolving Climate and Environment in China: 2012,” a Chinese monograph. Significant warming in China for the last 100 years is unequivocal, confirmed by substantial observational data. Anthropogenic activities are very likely the key driver of the warming in China since the 1950s. Climate change has significantly impacted the eco- environment and socio-economy of China. The fast increase in greenhouse gas emissions from China is due to the rapid growth of China’s economy and its position in the world economy. Climate change projects show warming in China will continue throughout the twenty-first century. Technological and policy options for adaptation and mitigation are critical to China’s actions on climate change. Green industrialization and low-carbon urbanization are essential for sustainable development. The future research priorities and goals are also summarized.
Dahe Qin, Yong Luo, Guangyu Shi, Yongjian Ding, Wenjie Dong, Erda Lin, Jiahua Pan
Metadaten
Titel
Climate and Environmental Change in China: 1951–2012
herausgegeben von
Dahe Qin
Yongjian Ding
Mu Mu
Copyright-Jahr
2016
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Electronic ISBN
978-3-662-48482-1
Print ISBN
978-3-662-48480-7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-48482-1