In recent months, the world has witnessed a surge in extreme weather events, from deadly gales in China’s Jiangxi province to unprecedented rainfall in Dubai. As these phenomena become increasingly frequent and severe, questions arise about the underlying causes and the actions needed to address them. Amanda Leland, Executive Director of the Environmental Defense Fund, sheds light on these pressing issues and emphasizes the critical steps the global community must take to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
"While we deal with the long-term threat of global warming, we also need to cope with the short-term impact of these extreme weather events," Leland explains. "They’re both dangerous for people and nature, but also highly disruptive to agriculture and the economy."
She notes that as the climate warms, the likelihood of extreme weather events such as heat waves, typhoons, floods, droughts, and wildfires increases. The solution, according to Leland, is to drastically cut carbon dioxide and methane emissions by transitioning away from fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewable energy. "Cutting methane has a critical role to play in limiting and slowing global warming because methane is 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in the near term," she adds.
Leland acknowledges that the transition to cleaner, more efficient energy is happening worldwide, but not fast enough. "We need governments and industry working as hard and as fast as possible to cut greenhouse gas pollution and accelerate the transition to cleaner forms of energy," she urges.
Highlighting positive actions in China, Leland mentions the government’s comprehensive guidelines to advance the Beautiful China Initiative, a vision highlighting China’s path to modernization in harmony with nature. "The Chinese government has also made climate a central focus using market-based solutions," she says. "China continues to improve its national emissions trading system, already the largest in the world, and plans to broaden its coverage to encompass even more sectors. At the end of 2023, China developed the country’s first national methane action plan, an important framework for how methane is used and monitored in China."
Europe and the United States are also making progress. "The Biden administration has made climate and clean energy a central priority, combining strong rules and regulations with new incentives for clean energy and energy efficiency," Leland notes. "Europe has always been known for strong climate leadership, and impressively, they have stayed strong on climate even in the face of energy price increases and supply shocks in recent years."
Leland emphasizes that international collaboration is key. "That’s how we keep everyone moving on the same path and working together, especially when it comes to helping developing economies that can’t do it on their own," she says. "In the end, it’s up to those countries to deliver on their climate targets and commitments. The important thing is that all countries need to keep moving forward."
Reference(s):
Gale, heat, flood … what should we do with a nature angered?
cgtn.com
