Opinion | Guided by climate science, Hong Kong must come together to meet extreme weather challenge
- We need a platform where experts from academia, government and the private sector can develop solutions – from decarbonisation measures to green urban features – to mitigate the impact of global warming
Climate change, once a term relegated to academic discussions, has made its presence felt in Hong Kong with a ferocity that’s hard to ignore. Global warming is no longer a theoretical scenario; it is here.
These weather events are not isolated incidents; they are manifestations of systemic changes in the global climate system. The science is clear: these events are the direct consequences of increased greenhouse gas concentrations.
As greenhouse gases are trapped, meteorologists and climate scientists point to a warmer atmosphere with a higher water vapour capacity. This relationship is described by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, a law of thermodynamics. Simply put, for each degree Celsius of warming, the air can hold about 7 per cent more water vapour. This additional moisture can fuel more intense precipitation events, establishing a clear link between climate change and extreme rainfall.
In Hong Kong, the torrential rains have triggered landslides. And, whether it is landslides, rainfall or typhoons, global climate models have projected such extremes. In fact, scientists have been waving red flags for decades, warning about the looming reality of climate change.
Yet, in the immediate aftermath of these events, both officials and the public seem to have been caught off guard. Why were we not prepared?