(Source: China Industrial News Network 2025-11-11)
Dong Xiucheng
A climate-adaptive society refers to a society that still has strong adaptability to changing climate conditions. It has strong risk resistance, resilience and adaptability. It can withstand climate change risks such as heavy rains and typhoons, and can quickly recover and adapt to the new environment after encountering climate events. In the context of global climate change, China, as the world's most populous country, faces huge challenges in building a climate-adaptive society. In recent years, extreme weather events have occurred frequently, such as floods, droughts, heat waves and cold waves, posing serious threats to economic and social development and the safety of people's lives and property. Therefore, building a climate-resilient society and improving the country's adaptability and resilience have become urgent tasks for China to achieve its sustainable development goals.
According to the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035 jointly issued by 17 departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and a new round of nationally determined contributions, China will basically build a climate-adaptive society by 2035. By then, climate change monitoring and early warning capabilities will reach the international advanced level for the same period, the climate risk management and prevention system will be basically mature, major climate-related disaster risks will be effectively prevented and controlled, the climate change adaptation technology system and standard system will be more complete, and the whole society's ability to adapt to climate change will be significantly improved.
China has achieved remarkable results in building a climate-adaptive society
At present, the construction of a climate-adaptive society in China is steadily advancing and has achieved many results.
1. The policy system is constantly improving
In June 2022, 17 government departments, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, jointly released the "National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035". The strategy clearly sets the goal until 2035, that is, to build the cornerstone structure of a climate-adaptive society. Once this strategy was released, it laid an important direction for work in the field of addressing climate change.
In July 2023, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reviewed and approved the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Deepening Comprehensive Reform and Accelerating Chinese-style Modernization." The decision emphasized that improving the working system to deal with climate change is an indispensable part of improving the green and low-carbon development mechanism, further clarifying the focus of future work.
In this context, 13 departments including the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention responded quickly and jointly launched the National Climate Change Health Adaptation Action Plan (2024-2030). This plan provides clear guidelines and practical paths for the next specific actions. This series of measures not only demonstrates my country's firm determination to respond to the challenge of climate change, but also reflects its continued efforts and commitment in protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development. This series of policy releases not only clarified the goals, but also formulated implementation plans, indicating that under the guidance of the established guidelines, there are no insurmountable obstacles to achieving these goals.
As of the end of 2024, 30 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across the country and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have issued and implemented provincial climate change adaptation action plans.
2. Improvement of monitoring and early warning capabilities
Preliminarily establish a multi-sphere three-dimensional observation network of the earth system based on the atmosphere and the atmosphere, and improve the emergency linkage mechanism guided by meteorological disaster early warning, accelerate the formation of regional rescue capabilities, and be able to grasp climate change conditions in a more timely and accurate manner to provide support for response work.
3. Collaborative advancement in key areas
Carry out ecological quality monitoring and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of forest and grass ecology, strengthen observation, early warning and assessment of marine disasters, strengthen monitoring, early warning and prevention and control of climate-sensitive diseases, comprehensively promote the construction of water conservancy infrastructure, and form a working pattern for collaborative adaptation to climate change in multiple key areas.
4. Active exploration in urban pilot projects
The 39 pilot cities actively explore and deepen the construction of climate-adaptive cities, fully consider climate change factors in urban planning, construction and management, and carry out adaptation actions in aspects such as construction, transportation, and water resources management to enhance urban adaptability.
5. Strengthening of international cooperation
China actively responded to the United Nations' "National Early Warning" initiative. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the China Meteorological Administration jointly released the "Early Warning to Promote Climate Change Adaptation China Action Plan (2025-2027)" during COP29, and launched the South-South Cooperation Early Warning Flagship Project on Climate Change to provide support to other developing countries and enhance my country's international influence in the field of climate change adaptation.
The construction of China’s climate-adaptive society requires policy guidance: building a policy system to adapt to climate change
Policy is the key to promoting the construction of a climate-adaptive society. The Chinese government has clearly stated the goal of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" and has introduced a series of policies and measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the carbon sink capacity of the ecosystem. In addition, special plans for adapting to climate change should be formulated and improved, such as the National Strategy for Adapting to Climate Change, to clarify key areas and action paths for adapting to climate change.
Policy formulation needs to be scientific and forward-looking. By strengthening climate change impact assessment, we will identify key vulnerable areas and weak links and formulate corresponding adaptation measures. For example, to address water shortages, water-saving policies can be formulated and water-saving technologies and equipment promoted; to address agricultural disaster risks, agricultural insurance policies can be implemented to reduce farmers' losses due to disasters.
The construction of a climate-adaptive society in China requires urban planning: building climate-resilient cities
Urban planning is the spatial carrier for building a climate-adaptive society. In urban construction, the impact of climate change should be fully considered and the concept of climate adaptability should be integrated into all aspects of urban planning.
1. Green infrastructure construction
Strengthen the construction and protection of urban green spaces, parks, wetlands and other ecological systems to improve the city's carbon sink capacity. At the same time, "sponge city" facilities such as rain gardens and permeable pavements will be built to enhance urban drainage and flood prevention capabilities.
2. Low carbon transportation system
Promote low-carbon travel modes such as public transportation, bicycles, and walking to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. Build electric vehicle charging stations and battery swapping stations to promote the popularization of new energy vehicles.
3. Building energy efficiency improvement
Promote green building standards, improve building thermal insulation performance, and reduce building energy consumption and carbon emissions. Encourage the use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy to reduce building operating costs.
The construction of China’s climate-adaptive society requires agricultural adaptation: enhancing agricultural climate resilience
Agriculture is the basic industry of the national economy and one of the areas most sensitive to the impact of climate change. Enhancing agricultural climate resilience is of great significance to ensuring national food security and ecological security.
1. Adjust crop planting structure
Adjust crop planting structure and layout according to climate change trends and crop growth characteristics. Select crop varieties that are drought-tolerant, flood-tolerant, and resistant to pests and diseases to improve the adaptability of agricultural production.
2. Promote water-saving irrigation technology
Promote water-saving irrigation technologies such as drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation in areas with water shortages to improve water resource utilization efficiency. At the same time, we will strengthen the development of unconventional water resources such as rainwater collection and utilization and recycled water reuse.
3. Strengthen agricultural disaster insurance
Establish an agricultural disaster insurance system to provide farmers with risk protection. When encountering natural disasters, you can obtain timely economic compensation and reduce disaster-related losses.
The construction of China’s climate-adaptive society requires scientific and technological innovation: improving scientific and technological support capabilities to adapt to climate change
Technological innovation is an important driving force in building a climate-adaptive society. By strengthening scientific research and development and application promotion, we can improve climate change monitoring and early warning capabilities, enhance ecosystem service functions, and enhance industrial competitiveness.
1. Strengthen basic research on climate change
Increase investment in basic scientific research on climate change and deeply reveal the mechanisms and influencing factors of climate change. Introduce advanced technology and experience through international cooperation and exchange platforms.
2. Promote breakthroughs in key technologies
Carry out technical research and demonstration projects in the fields of energy conservation and emission reduction, efficient use of resources, and ecological and environmental protection. Encourage collaborative innovation among enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions.
3. Strengthen the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements
Establish and improve the mechanism and policy system for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Promote the industrial application and promotion of scientific and technological achievements through policy support, financial support and other measures.
The construction of China’s climate-adaptive society requires public participation: building a climate action system with national participation
The public is an important force in building a climate-resilient society. By strengthening publicity and education, raising public awareness, and encouraging public participation, a good atmosphere for the whole society to jointly participate in addressing climate change can be created.
1. Carry out climate change science education
Popularize climate change knowledge through media propaganda, w88 casino education, community lectures and other forms to increase public awareness and attention to climate change.
2. Promote a green lifestyle
Encourage the public to take energy-saving and emission-reduction measures in daily life, such as saving water and electricity to reduce waste; choosing public transportation or cycling to reduce carbon emissions; reducing the use of disposable items, etc. These actions will help slow the rate of climate change and improve quality of life.
3. Establish a public participation mechanism
Establishing a government-led, multi-party participation working mechanism to address climate change encourages all sectors of society to actively participate in activities such as actions to address climate change and project planning and decision-making processes to jointly promote the transformation of society into a more sustainable development direction.
To sum up, in the global climate governance system, China, as a responsible major country, always adheres to the global governance concept of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits", actively participates in the global climate governance process, and strives to contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the global response to climate change. By strengthening international cooperation and exchanges and sharing China's experience and technological achievements, we can jointly promote the development and transformation of the global climate governance system in a more fair, reasonable and effective direction, and ultimately realize the beautiful vision of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
（The author is the Executive Dean of the China International Carbon Neutral Economic Research Institute, w88 casino）
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