China Prioritizes Flood and Drought Control Amidst Climate Crisis

China Prioritizes Flood and Drought Control Amidst Extreme Weather Events

The Ministry of Water Resources in China has announced its commitment to prioritizing the enhancement of flood and drought control systems in 2025. This decision comes in response to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events driven by the climate crisis.

The announcement was made following the ministry's annual work conference, where officials reviewed achievements from 2024 and set goals for the year ahead. Reflecting on the widespread flooding and drought disasters of the previous year, the ministry urged heightened vigilance among officials in response to extreme weather conditions.

China experienced 26 major flooding events across its seven longest rivers in 2024, with 1,321 waterways exceeding flood control warning levels. Additionally, severe droughts impacted large areas of Southwest China, North China, Northwest China, and regions between the Yellow and Huaihe rivers.

Despite these challenges, the ministry highlighted its success in mitigating disasters, emphasizing that efforts "effectively safeguarded lives and property while minimizing disaster-related losses to the utmost degree." This accomplishment contributed to China's record grain output of 700 million metric tons in 2024.

Looking ahead, the ministry acknowledged the increasingly dire situation as extreme weather events become more frequent. They called for sustained vigilance and a deeper understanding of the nation's still-inadequate flood defense capabilities.

The statement underscored the urgent need to accelerate the modernization of China's flood control and disaster mitigation systems to proactively tackle challenges posed by extreme weather conditions.

The ministry outlined eight priorities for 2025, with enhancing flood and drought control systems at the top of the list. Beyond engineering improvements, the ministry aims to strengthen monitoring and forecasting systems and better coordinate related efforts. They plan to leverage information technologies to advance water resource management.

By promoting a space-air-groundwater integrated monitoring system, the ministry intends to expedite the establishment of digital twins for river basins, water networks, and management projects, enabling more intelligent oversight.