Explainer | Climate change: what does El Nino mean for global energy, trade and agriculture? And where does China stand?
- The hottest week and hottest June on record have added to the climate change debate, with temperatures also rising in China
- Floods and droughts are also creating problems for the global economy, especially for trade, agriculture and energy
The earth just experienced the hottest week on record, with last month also the hottest June on record, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
With the further development of the El Nino climate pattern, future weather is likely to be even hotter, according to WMO, who announced the official formation of the phenomenon earlier this month.
China has also experienced the largest number of hot days so far this year since 1961, the National Climate Centre said, who predict that temperatures in most parts of the country are likely to be higher in July.
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Record temperatures expected globally in 2023 as El Nino weather pattern returns
With the arrival of the summer rainy season, China will see regional floods, droughts, high temperatures and heatwaves, and the Ministry of Water Resources has urged local governments to provide early warnings for their citizens.
Earlier this month, the southwestern Chinese municipality of Chongqing experienced the heaviest rainfall since meteorological records began in 1956, triggering landslides and other secondary disasters.
The likes of India, Germany, Spain, Vietnam and Thailand are also reporting extreme weather, creating more uncertainty for the global economy.
How could extreme weather impact electricity supplies?
High temperatures tend to lead to weak wind power generation and a higher probability of generators experiencing failures as more electricity is needed to combat the heat, the China Electricity Council (CEC) said, according to The Paper earlier this month.
