Humid, wet, and scorching summers and cool, relatively dry winters are usually features of the weather patterns associated with Hong Kong’s monsoon influenced subtropical climate. However, over the past 100 years, there have been significant changes to weather patterns which may have been influenced by climate change in the city.
Recent trends and the biggest causes behind them
The annual number of hot nights (nights with a minimum temperature of 28°C or above) and hot days (days with a minimum temperature of 33°C or above) are predicted to increase substantially during the 21st century, whilst the annual number of cold days and nights expected to decrease heavily (days and nights with a maximum temperature of 12°C or below), according to an analysis of Hong Kong Observatory reports.
These worrying readings are mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions which surround the Earth’s atmosphere and trap the sun’s heat, leading to climate change and global warming as the world gets warmer. Fossil fuels including coal, oil, and gas are undoubtedly the largest contributors to climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
A recent dramatic temperature swing on record (part 1)
On the 29th of April 2022, the HKO issued its first “very hot weather” warning since the introduction of the system 22 years ago, with the temperature reaching a scorching maximum of 32°C. Strangely though, a mere four days later, a minimum temperature of 16.4°C was reached, the coldest day of May recorded since 1917.
Furthermore, after the unexpected cold snap, nearly a week of turbulent thunderstorms occurred, which resulted in the suspension of morning and whole-day classes at kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools on the 13th of May initiated by the Education Bureau.
What could’ve led to this situation? (part 2)
The Hong Kong Observatory claimed that the trough of low pressure stretched out across thousands of kilometers, spanning from Southeast China to Japan, had led to the tempestuous rain storms.
However, senior scientific officer Olivia Lee stated that the unstable weather patterns between the months of April and May were simply ‘day to day changes’, and that it posed no relation to global warming, which other specialists disagreed with.
“My estimation is that the temperature shift could have been an outcome of a jet stream fluctuation,” said Johnny Chan, a professor of atmospheric science at the City University of Hong Kong. “Under global warming, the weaker the stability of the jet stream, the more the temperature fluctuates.”
The impact of the climate change on agriculture
With days of unexpected downpours of rain during the month of May, two of the five local farms in the community-supported agricultural scheme of Tin Yeah have faced no choice but to suspend production for as long as 10 days, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of dollars and counting.
The unanticipated cloudy weather might also lead to the delayal of the farmers’ summer harvest, which would’ve included goods such as tomatoes, mushrooms and beans.
“The infestation was beyond imagination,” Carol Mak, operator of Tin Yeah, claimed. “We’re already worried about next week’s harvest. The huge temperature difference has also killed such plants.”
Impact of climate change on the citizens of Hong Kong
As more unpredictable weather patterns emerge, it becomes harder for people to prepare themselves for such unknown situations and circumstances. There may be a greater risk of people suffering from conditions including heat exhaustion, which may lead to the possibility of greater strains on hospitalization and health services.
In September 2021, an Oxfam survey discovered that locals who lived in subdivided flats (90,000 households as of December 2021), with a lack of ventilation faced no other options but to bear with room temperatures of more than 35°C during the summer.
Food shortages, deaths and illnesses are other examples of the ways climate change can affect the locals of Hong Kong.
Is Hong Kong and the government doing enough to combat climate change?
Even though the government heavily discourages littering and overconsumption and promotes public transport and recycling among its citizens, its efforts towards tackling its major global responsibilities seem to be significantly weaker.
Back in 2007, the city joined the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, but it unfortunately it failed to achieve all of the four stages of the initiative imposed. Then, in September 2010, a public consultation was held with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. However, emissions had increased instead by 9% as of 2014.
The climate action plan 2030+ of Hong Kong claims that by 2020, greenhouse gas emissions would start decreasing, which, looking at the current trends, seems highly unlikely.
Sources:
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climate-change
Writing: Bernice Lau
Editing: Katherine Yan
Graphics: Alicia Fok
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