The Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is commonly referred to as the cradle of the Chinese civilization. It covers an area of 1.8 million km2, encompassing about one fifth of China’s total territory, one third of the nation’s total population, and one quarter of its total arable land. The YRB is also a major economic zone, contributing 41% of GDP, 35% of the nation’s total grain production and 31% of its forest area in 2007. However, climate change is now having an enormous impact on the river basin management. It also influences other sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, and the environment.
Action taken
One of the biggest issues for the governor and experts are determining how to assess a river basin’s vulnerability and ability to adapt to climate change. WWF, together with over 20 experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China Meteorological Administration and Fudan University have drafted the Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report in 2009.
This report evaluates the impact of climate change on representative ecosystems and water resources in the Yangtze River basin, pinpoint adaptation strategies, and provide support to decision makers. WWF’s field office also investigated the relationship between water level change and biodiversity loss in Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, and also worked with experts in nature reserves to look for adaptation strategies that keep the lake’s assets in balance.
Achievements
This report is the first ever climate change vulnerability assessment on the Yangtze River Basin. It provides substantial strategic plans and management measures recommendations to help Yangtze River basin to socioeconomic and ecological systems respond and adapt to climate change under the dramatic threats of climate change.
There are measures to be implemented by national river basin level managing authorities, thus it serves a roadmap for climate change adaptation. Key recommendations of this report include:
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Build capacities to deal with climate change by improving economic status, living conditions and public facilities,
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Promote Integrated River Basin Management,
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Adjust cropping systems, breed new strains and improve crop management practices to adapt to new climate,
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Protect natural forests from logging by establishing a new ecological compensation system in the YRB,
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Protecting the permafrost and biodiversity from human disturbances,
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Include wetlands in the integrated river basin management plans, and
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Adjust and optimize the economic structure by promoting low-carbon development in urban areas in the YRB.
Lessons learned
Good adaptation measures and practices should consider not only climate itself, but also other specific factors, such as economy, technology, as well as social and cultural norms.
Experiences gained from this report could be applied and used and evaluate the river who are under the threat of climate change.
Given the complexities and uncertainties associated with climate change, adaptation should firstly consider a “no-regrets” strategy, which does not require additional cost.
A “free-ride” strategy should be considered, where adaptation to climate change is a “by-product” of other socioeconomic activities.
Synthesizing previous experiences and lessons on climate change adaptation is extremely important to the success of future actions.