The Sino-German pilot project on “Climate Risk Management and Transfer” is officially launched
Climate change has had and will continue to have a significant impact on urban construction and urban development, and in particular poses a serious threat to the safety of urban energy, transportation, communications and other infrastructure, as well as the property and livelihood of people. Actively adapting to climate change has a huge positive effect on the resilience of urban areas, the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the well-being of the people.
On 26th September 2018, the Sino-German Urbanisation Partnership Project (SGUP) jointly with the Alliance on Climate Risk Transfer Solutions Project (ARTs), visited the XiXian New District in Shanxi Province together with the Science & Technology and Industrialization Development Center of MoHURD to officially launch the "Sino-German Pilot Project on Climate Risk Management and Transfer".
Figure 1: Launch meeting in Fengxi New Area in XiXian District (Xi’an)
During the meeting, the partners selected “high temperature” as the climate risk in XiXian District to be addressed within the cooperation project until the end of 2018. By using the analysis tool Economics on Adaptation (ECA) developed by the European Commission among others, an expert group will analyse the impact of different assets on heat events in Fengxi New Area. Adaptation approaches will be developed based on the results and needed action will be included into the local Climate Adaptation Report. The analysis will help the local government to raise the ability and increase efficiency of addressing the climate risk of heat and will promote the infrastructure adaptation ability to reduce the negative impact of climate risks to the economy and people's life in Fengxi New Area.
Project background:
In September 2013, nine national ministries jointly issued “The National Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change”, giving climate adaptation central attention in the economic and social development of China’s cities and regions. With the aim of strengthening climate adaptation actions in vulnerable areas and regions, the strategy identifies several key industries in which action is most required, including infrastructure construction, agriculture, health, tourism among others, as well as certain ecosystems that are most at risk and need specific focus, including coastal zones and other water resources and forests.
In September 2016, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and took responsibility to build a community of shared future, to protect ecology worldwide and ensure sustainable development.
In the same year, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) together with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development (MoHURD) issued "The Action Plan on Urban Adaptation to Climate Change" confirming the focus that needs to be put on urban climate adaptation. The following required action has been identified: strengthening the guiding function of urban planning, improving the design and construction standards of urban infrastructure, raising the resilience of urban construction, enhancing the functions of urban ecosystems, ensuring the safety of urban water, establishing and improving the urban integrated disaster risk management system.
In February 2017, NDRC and MoHURD jointly issued the “Notice on Identifying Pilot Cities of Climate Adaptation”, which include 28 pilot cities.
Figure 2: 28 climate adaptation pilot cities (Source: MoHURD)
In September 2018, led by the Department of Building Energy Efficiency and Science & Technology of MoHURD, the Sino-German Climate Risk Management and Transfer pilot project in XiXian district was launched. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018, and the second batch of pilot cities will be screened and launched in 2019.
Figure 3: Visit to a sponge city construction project
