(ECNS) -- China is experiencing increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather and climate events, including heatwaves and heavy rainfall, according to the Blue Book on Climate Change in China 2026, released by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Thursday.
The blue book said global warming continues unabated, with oceans warming at a faster pace, glaciers retreating more rapidly, and sea levels reaching record highs.
In 2025, the global average surface temperature was about 1.4℃ above pre-industrial levels, making it the third-warmest year since modern records began in 1850. The period from 2015 to 2025 marked the warmest 11-year span on record.
Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide all reached record highs in 2024.
From 1961 to 2025, China's annual average temperature rose by 0.31℃ per decade, exceeding the global average warming rate over the same period. In 2025, China's average temperature ranked among the two warmest years since nationwide records began in 1901. Eastern and central China recorded their highest annual average temperatures since 1961, while Shanghai's Xujiahui Observatory logged its warmest year since local observations began in 1873.
China's average annual rainfall increased by 6.3 millimeters per decade between 1961 and 2025, while the number of precipitation days declined. Precipitation patterns varied significantly by region, with wetter conditions across the Tibetan Plateau and parts of northern China, but decreasing rainfall in southwestern regions.
In 2025, China's average precipitation was 4.1% above normal. North China recorded its second-wettest year since 1961, while both the duration of the rainy season and total rainfall reached record highs. Autumn rainfall in western China also broke historical records.
Extreme cold events have declined markedly since the 1960s, while extreme heat events have risen sharply since the early 21st century. Heavy rainfall events have also become more frequent.
(By Tang Yuxian)
京公网安备 11010202009201号