Shanghai, Guangzhou and other large coastal cities in China could face "unimaginable challenges" if global warming continues and the oceans keep rising, state media said yesterday.
A report released recently by the State Oceanic Administration has warned of a rapid rise in sea levels that threatens China's densely populated east coast, the China Daily reported.
"The speed is astonishing," said Lu Xuedu (
"Coastal cities, including Shanghai and Guangzhou, will confront unimaginable challenges if the situation deteriorates," he told the paper.
The sea level had risen by an average of 2.5mm annually in recent years, the paper said, citing the oceanic agency's report.
It predicted that over the next decade, the sea would to rise by up to 31mm, threatening low-lying cities, according to the paper.
"They'll begin building dykes like the Dutch, to stop the cities from being flooded," said Yang Ailun (
"But building dykes will be an action taken too late, and we first need to start cutting greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
China is preparing a campaign to alert local officials to global warming, the paper said. The plan calls for the reduction of greenhouse gases and development of climate-friendly technologies, and could be submitted to the Cabinet by the end of the month.
Observers have said that it is particularly important to address officials at the grassroots level because they are evaluated according to their ability to generate growth, meaning there is little incentive to curb pollution.
RSS