Strong cold waves swept across central and eastern China shortly after the beginning of winter.
Meanwhile, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow focused on reducing emissions like carbon dioxide to address global warming.
Understanding Cold Waves in the Context of Global Warming
This situation may seem contradictory, raising questions such as why global warming needs to be controlled and whether warmer winters would be more comfortable. Are strong cold waves evidence against global warming? In fact, these cold waves and global warming are not contradictory. Global warming reflects a trend of increasing global average temperatures, though individual years may still experience cold and warm fluctuations, including strong cold waves. Under global warming, extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts, floods, typhoons, and cold waves are becoming more frequent and intense. Extreme cold events have not been uncommon globally in recent years.
Global warming continues to dominate as a prevailing trend. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s 2020 Global Climate Statement, 2020 ranked among the three warmest years on record. The five years from 2016 to 2020 and the decade from 2011 to 2020 were the warmest on record. Since the 1980s, each consecutive decade has been hotter than the one before, based on data dating back to 1850.
Why do extreme cold events still occur
So why do extreme cold events still occur and sometimes with increased intensity under global warming? This is due to global warming making the climate more unstable, intensifying extreme cold events. Global atmospheric circulation patterns have changed, and interactions between the ocean and atmosphere influence local climates. Additionally, Arctic warming is a critical factor. The Arctic is heating at 2-3 times the global rate, making it the most sensitive region to climate change. The warming trend weakens the Arctic polar vortex, causing cold air to split and move southward, significantly lowering temperatures in affected areas.
Some may argue that relaxing efforts to control global warming might make winters warmer and less harsh. However, this idea is unrealistic. The China Climate Change Blue Book (2021) indicates that while extreme cold events in China have decreased in frequency, their intensity has not weakened. This highlights the dual nature of global warming, which brings both extreme heat and extreme cold.
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events serves as a warning of the wide-ranging impacts and risks posed by climate change on ecosystems and human societies. Addressing these challenges requires strengthened prevention and adaptive measures to minimize the negative effects of climate change.
In the context of global warming, societies and individuals often underestimate the need to prepare for extreme cold events. These events can disrupt daily life and production, requiring significant attention. Efforts should focus on enhancing response strategies, improving emergency coordination, and promoting effective information sharing to mitigate adverse effects. Further research into the mechanisms behind extreme cold events, as well as improved early warning systems and climate impact assessments, is essential for better disaster risk management.
Currently, precautions against the impacts of low winter temperatures must continue. Forecasters predict increased cold air activity in January and February, with much of central and eastern China likely to experience colder-than-average temperatures and periodic extreme cold waves. Local authorities should remain alert, ensure energy supplies such as coal, electricity, oil, and gas, and prepare for transportation challenges during the spring travel season. Enhanced fire prevention efforts in urban, rural, and forested areas are also necessary during this period.
