World Meteorological Day: China pledges to close the early warning gap

China is marking World Meteorological Day on March 23 with a focus on "closing the early warning gap" through various activities.

The country has pledged to further explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance early warning systems. Additionally, China will launch three geostationary meteorological satellites covering Africa, Asia, and other regions, providing Africa with all-weather, high-precision meteorological disaster monitoring services, Chen Zhenlin, head of the China Meteorological Administration, told reporters ahead of the event.

The push to close the early warning gap comes as 2024 was recorded as the hottest year in history.

"Global warming has led to increased instability in climate systems, with frequent and recurring extreme weather and climate events, along with compound disasters of high intensity and wide-ranging impacts," Chen said.

He also noted that significant disparities exist between countries in the development of early warning systems, with particularly severe challenges in vulnerable regions such as small island developing nations.

According to the "Global Meteorological Development Report 2024," released on Sunday, some of China's early warning achievements and experiences have been adopted internationally, proving useful in multiple countries and helping to narrow the early warning gap.

The report highlights that Fengyun meteorological satellites now serve 133 countries and regions. Through establishing platforms such as the China-ASEAN and China-Arab meteorological cooperation forums, China has been actively promoting and sharing its expertise and technology to contribute to global meteorological governance and climate change response.