SHANGHAI, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- In face of the challenges from the climate change and air pollution, world’s leading scientists who attended the WLA Zero Carbon Forum on November 3 called for climate-resilient development, including green energy transition, and maximizing science’s role in reducing emissions.
Climate change and air pollution threatening public health
Global warming is complex and multi-scale, and it has brought great impact over planet health, economic wealth and human health,” said Michael Levitt, professor with Stanford University and 2013 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, at the ongoing WLA Zero Carbon Forum held here in Shanghai. “We must learn to minimize damage from random crises, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and fires,” said Levitt.
2013 Nobel laureate in Chemistry Michael Levitt speaks at the WLA Zero Carbon Forum
It’s widely acknowledged that both the climate change and the air pollution are threatening public health.
“Anthropogenic emissions have fundamental impact on climate change and air quality,” said He Kebin, professor with Tsinghua University and the academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, at the same forum, adding that protecting public health calls for continuous air quality improvement.
Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences Zhu Tong also stressed the importance of adopting carbon neutrality policies to control air pollution and address climate change in order to maximize the public health benefits.
Strategies to fight climate change and air pollution
Greenhouse gases and air pollutants share the same emission sources, such as fossil fuel combustion, said He. “Measures on reducing the use of fossil fuels could achieve co-benefits of reducing air pollution and carbon emissions,” he added.
Despite difficulties, it’s important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors, change the “use once and throw away” mentality, and encourage re-useable goods, said Steven Chu, professor with Stanford University, and 1997 Nobel Prize winner in Physics.
In addition, to support the development of renewable energy, it’s also necessary to develop backup generation capacity, energy storage and an enhanced transmission and distribution system, Chu said.
“The natural resources and biological knowledge can play a critical role in sequestration and emission reduction,” said David Zilberman, professor with UC Berkeley and 2019 Wolf Prize Laureate in Agriculture.
He also called for carbon pricing, support for R&D, education and training, and science-based regulations to foster decarbonization.
"Carbon Strategy"— Global Collaboration on Climate Governance Session
China’s crucial role in sustainable development
“China has a crucial role to play in a sustainable future for the whole world,” said Levitt, adding that China has the motivation to develop sustainable green energy & food, which will be good for the entire world.
Over the past years, China has been accelerating its green transition by adjusting its industrial, energy, and transportation structures, building recycling system, developing energy-saving and emission reduction technologies, and promoting green consumption, said Luo Hui at her opening remark, an official with the China Association for Science and Technology.
China’s Clean Air Action has achieved a dramatic emission reduction of air pollution and significant improvement of air quality, and the realization of policy objectives has brought considerable synergistic benefits of carbon dioxide emission reduction, according to He Kebin.
As one of the heavy-weighted forums ahead of the 5th World Laureates Forum (WLA Forum), the WLAZero Carbon Forum is supported by Xinhua News Agency Shanghai Branch, China Economic Information Service, Sequoia China Charity Foundation, and Parkland Foundation. (Contributed by Zhang Lei, zhanglei@xinhua.org)
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