Technology Guides the Way
Climate change is a pressing challenge that humanity faces at present. As a participant, contributor and trailblazer in global ecological conservation, China is committed to implementing multilateralism and fostering a fair system of global environmental governance.
With abundant resources and a large population, Africa, the second-largest continent, faces significant challenges in addressing climate change and protecting the environment due to limited socio-economic development and technological infrastructure.
With the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development, China’s ongoing efforts to promote climate technology cooperation not only support the green development of the Belt and Road countries, but also have great significance to international cooperation and development under new global conditions.
Aligned cooperation
Climate change is a major driver of frequent natural disasters across the African continent, making it one of the most vulnerable regions to meteorological disasters globally. Extreme temperatures, droughts, and floods have had devastating impacts on African nations, largely due to their limited scientific and technological capacity to respond effectively.
In 2022 alone, around 110 million people in Africa were directly affected by severe weather, climate, and water-related disasters. According to the statistics from EM-DAT: The International Disaster Database, these disasters resulted in approximately 5,000 deaths, with 48 percent caused by droughts and 43 percent by floods, in 2022. The Africa Climate Policy Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that from 2020 to 2030, climate change could inflict economic damage worth between $290 billion and $440 billion across the continent.
Moreover, African countries also suffer from secondary disasters such as plague and famine that trigger large-scale humanitarian crisis, as well as livelihood issues of climate refugees and the climate hegemony imposed by Western countries.
In recent years, China has made significant progress in addressing climate change. Its vast territory includes diverse climate zones: the eastern region is influenced by the East Asian monsoon, while the arid and semi-arid central and western regions lie in the interaction zone between the East Asian monsoon and Westerly circulation. These varied climate types lead to different climate-related challenges across the country. For example, flooding is common in the eastern monsoon regions, while desertification and land degradation is specific to the western regions due to arid conditions.
China is committed to promoting green development and fostering harmony between human and nature. In response to disasters and environmental issues triggered by climate change, it has implemented various measures. These include the “Three-North (i.e., Northeast China, North China and Northwest China) Shelterbelt Forest” programme to combat challenges such as sandstorms caused by droughts in the northwest, and the “Grain for Green” programme to resolve ecological degradation in the transition areas between cropland and grassland in the northwest. Additionally, adaptable agricultural models are adopted to respond to climate change and increased precipitation variability. China has also increased research efforts on climate monitoring, carbon neutrality, regional environmental quality evaluation, and ecosystem restoration.
China’s long coastline and marine ecosystems are easily impacted by factors like gas emissions and fossil fuel combustion, leading to rising sea temperatures, increased carbon dioxide levels, and altered precipitation patterns. These issues were improved through concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As an example, the Zhejiang Shanghuang National Ecological Quality Monitoring Station (Forest) jointly established by Zhejiang Normal University and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences is among the major research projects in the field of ecological and environmental science. Oriented towards Zhejiang’s complex mountainous regions, the station conducts integrated monitoring of space, air and ground with focuses on ecological environment quality, biodiversity and ecosystem evolution, among others. The research project also involves innovation in theoretical methods, complex process simulation, and optimised decision-making support for ecological sustainability. Such efforts provide valuable insights for Belt and Road countries, including African countries, on climate change mitigation and sustainable development strategies.
Promising future
Major events like the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and the 13th meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum highlight the importance of building a robust international system for green governance. They emphasise the role that international public goods and platforms based on the Belt and Road Initiative play in improving global climate governance. China-Africa climate technology cooperation is a key component of building Green Belt and Road which requires further efforts to establish long-term mechanisms.
We can establish a long-term mechanism that integrates technology, education, and talent. This requires both sides to work together with organisations like the African Union and regional entities to develop key educational and research initiatives. China and Africa can leverage the African Union’s educational strategy and China’s scientific associations, universities, think tanks, research institutions, and enterprises to foster academic exchanges, conduct joint talent cultivation, and build educational hubs for the Green Belt and Road Initiative. Through these efforts, mutual learning and exchanges between our two sides will be strengthened, Africa’s capacity for climate governance will be enhanced. These approaches are also valid for helping the African people break free from the restrictions and oppression imposed by Western climate hegemony, ensuring active participation in the cooperation of building long-term mechanisms.
Scientific collaboration is crucial for climate change mitigation capacity building. Fostering technological cooperation is a shared goal to drive the development of a green Belt and Road. China, with its extensive experience in climate governance, is willing to lend a helping hand to improve Africa’s capabilities through knowledge sharing. This can be achieved through joint climate research centres, and regular academic events on climate governance.
Research should focus on the typical regions of China and Africa, since understanding regional characteristics is crucial for climate change mitigation.
Zhang Jianzhen, Vice President, Professor, Zhejiang Normal University
Lin Xiaofeng, Ph.D. Student, College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University
