China experiences hottest August ever in several provinces

Shanghai and several Chinese provinces experienced the hottest August on record, according to the national meteorological service.

A large part of the northern hemisphere is being hit by particularly strong heat waves at the end of summer, from Europe to Asia. As in Japan, where the meteorological services announced that August had been the hottest month recorded in the country, the Chinese authorities reported exceptional temperatures on Monday, September 2. In August, average air temperatures were the highest since records began in Shanghai, as well as in six provinces (Jiangsu and Shandong in the east of the country, Hebei in the north, Hainan in the south, Jilin and Liaoning in the northeast), as well as in the Xinjiang region (northwest), lists the information portal of the national meteorological service.

Five other provinces experienced their second-hottest August on record, and seven others the third-hottest. “Most regions in China experienced a hotter summer than in previous years”the National Weather Service said in its article published Sunday.

In July, the national average temperature reached its highest level, 23.21°C, compared to 23.17°C during the previous record in 2017.

Several major cities, such as Shanghai, Hangzhou (east) and Chongqing (southwest), have also seen a higher number of “days with high temperatures” (usually when the mercury exceeds 35 degrees Celsius) than in any other August since records began.

China is experiencing a summer marked by extreme weather events and locally unusual temperatures, the types of phenomena exacerbated by climate change according to scientists.

The Asian giant is the world’s largest emitter, in absolute terms, of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. It has promised to reach a peak in emissions by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Since the 19th century, the average temperature of the Earth has warmed by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, consumers of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This warming, unprecedented in its speed, threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions – renewable energies, moderation, reduction of meat consumption – exist. Discover our answers to your questions on the climate crisis.