Urbanisation and Climate Change in Asia: Impacts and Adaptation

During the last 20 to 30 years, because of rapid economic growth, extensive areas of agricultural and rural land in many countries in Asia have been transformed into cities. Such changes have substantially modified the exchanges of atmospheric properties between the land surface and the atmosphere. In addition, these cities, many of which have been known as mega-cities, generate additional heat and pollutants that are injected into the atmosphere. Furthermore, many of these cities have been developed over a short period of time, and hence city planning in general has been minimal. All these consequences of urbanization have great impacts on the regional climate, which will also be affected by global climate change. Thus, cities in Asia have suffered, and will likely continue to suffer, significantly in terms of climate hazards.

In this talk, how urbanization and global climate change can modify the regional climate will first be presented using examples from the Pearl River Delta of China (including Hong Kong) and other mega-cities. The possible impacts of such climate hazards will then be discussed. Examples of actions taken by governments to reduce the consequences of such impacts will be presented.

Speaker: Prof. Johnny CHAN
Medium of Language: English

Interested secondary schools are welcome to contact the School at the following methods for arrangement.
By email: see.enquiry@cityu.edu.hk
By fax: 3442 0688