2023 was China's hottest year since records began: HT Explains

China's average temperature in 2023 was its hottest since records began. The country's national average temperature last year was 10.7 degrees Celsius exceeding a record of 10.5 degrees Celsius set in 2021. Beijing's National Climate Centre said, “The temperature across most of the country was higher by 0.5C 1C." This caps a a year of extreme weather events in the country.

People wearing sun protection gear amid a heatwave walk on a street in Beijing, China.(Reuters) What data shows on heat wave in China? Across China, 127 national weather stations broke records for daily high temperatures in 2023. Beijing smashed a 23 year old record in July with 27 consecutive days of temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius.

The capital also logged its hottest ever late October day in 2023. Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here What have experts warned on China's extreme weather events? Experts warned that global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions makes extreme weather more likely as China is the world's biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

China is also expected to backtrack on its goals to peak emissions between 2026 and 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060 after a recent jump in approvals for coal fired power plants was reported. The country's air pollution worsened in 2023, the first time it has done so in a decade, a study showed as well.

Read more: Israel ex spymaster Zvi Zamir, whose 1973 war warning was ignored, dies Is China seeking a solution for extreme weather events? China has expanded its use of renewables in recent years becoming the world's top producer of wind and solar energy. The United Nations Environment Programme said that China was "likely" to meet its climate commitments owing to rapid implementation by the government as over half of all installed electricity generation capacity is now from non fossil fuel sources.

What were the other extreme weather events in China in 2023? Other than record smashing heat in China, 2023 also saw devastating floods across country's north. Last month, China witnessed a persistent cold snap forced authorities to issue alerts as all time December temperature fell in many parts of the country.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Share Via Copy Link ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail China.