Extreme weather worsens as China records 52.2C — highest ever temperature

A weather station in Sanbao, a village in China’s Xinjiang region, has recorded a temperature peak of 52.2C — the highest since 50.6C was recorded in July 2017. 

According to The Guardian UK, the China Meteorological Administration said the temperature was recorded on the evening of July 16, breaking “the historic heat record for the same period of the year”.

The northern part of the country has experienced heatwaves in recent weeks and Chinese authorities have warned of extreme weather and “multiple natural disasters” in the weeks ahead. 

Countries in Asia have been battling high temperatures in the past months, raising concerns about their ability to adapt to climate change and the global goal of keeping global warming within 2C, preferably 1.5C.

The UK Met Office said on Monday that some Mediterranean countries are also set to break new records this week.

“Dangerous levels of heat are affecting parts of North America, Asia and southern Europe. China provisionally recorded its highest temperature on record on Sunday and some Mediterranean countries will challenge their respective records this week,” the Met Office said. 

China, US meet to address climate change amid heatwave

Amid the ongoing heatwave in China’s northern region, John Kerry, US climate envoy, is meeting with Xie Zhenhua, special representative for climate change Affairs in Beijing, China’s capital.

At the meeting on Monday, Kerry said it was “imperative that China and the United States make real progress” before the COP28 global climate talks in Dubai. 

Kerry encouraged China to partner with the US to cut methane emissions and reduce the climate impact of coal-fired power.

“In the next three days we hope we can begin taking some big steps that will send a signal to the world about the serious purpose of China and the United States to address a common risk, threat, challenge to all of humanity created by humans themselves,” he said.