1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: This is a C. N. A. Podcast. 2 00:00:05,010 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: Hello there. I'm steve Lie. If you've been watching the 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,950 Speaker 1: news lately, you'll have noticed that extreme weather events have 4 00:00:10,950 --> 00:00:13,380 Speaker 1: been featuring regularly throughout the year. 5 00:00:14,810 --> 00:00:16,710 Speaker 1: Mother Nature showing 6 00:00:18,930 --> 00:00:22,290 Speaker 1: With record high temperatures recorded in the West. The United 7 00:00:22,290 --> 00:00:27,150 Speaker 1: States and Europe are sweltering under this historic heatwave, Europe 8 00:00:27,150 --> 00:00:31,420 Speaker 1: facing its worst drought in 500 years to floods in 9 00:00:31,420 --> 00:00:32,220 Speaker 1: South Asia, 10 00:00:33,990 --> 00:00:38,670 Speaker 1: A severe flooding in Pakistan turned roads into rivers leaving 11 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:43,710 Speaker 1: more than half the country submerged in water, sweeping away 12 00:00:43,710 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: lives and livelihoods and there's more to come. The US 13 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,729 Speaker 1: National Weather Service predicts a 65% chance of an above 14 00:00:51,729 --> 00:00:55,470 Speaker 1: normal hurricane season, which would be the seventh consecutive year 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,140 Speaker 1: of above average activity 16 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,179 Speaker 1: on this episode of CNN correspondent. You'll hear how china 17 00:01:11,180 --> 00:01:14,020 Speaker 1: has suffered its most severe heatwave in six decades. 18 00:01:14,810 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: And even as the temperature has started to drop its 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,810 Speaker 1: problems could just be heating up 20 00:01:28,050 --> 00:01:32,430 Speaker 1: after two month long dry spell, China's drought hit areas 21 00:01:32,430 --> 00:01:35,540 Speaker 1: are experiencing heavy rains that have forced more than 100,000 22 00:01:35,540 --> 00:01:38,890 Speaker 1: people to be evacuated. Or the extreme weather events are 23 00:01:38,890 --> 00:01:41,510 Speaker 1: also having an impact on more than two million hectares 24 00:01:41,510 --> 00:01:42,660 Speaker 1: of arable land 25 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,370 Speaker 1: and 350,000 livestock and that could further push up food prices. 26 00:01:48,370 --> 00:01:50,660 Speaker 1: My colleague way. So they're introducing a story by our 27 00:01:50,660 --> 00:01:53,750 Speaker 1: shanghai correspondent Lo Min Min, who's been busy traveling to 28 00:01:53,750 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: different parts of china to cover the impact of these 29 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: extreme weather events And who joins me now to give 30 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,710 Speaker 1: you the inside track from the front line of these stories. 31 00:02:03,530 --> 00:02:05,870 Speaker 1: Thanks for making some time for me today. Let's start 32 00:02:05,870 --> 00:02:08,730 Speaker 1: with the heatwave first that started in mid june, where 33 00:02:08,730 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: have you been and what have you seen? 34 00:02:10,650 --> 00:02:13,350 Speaker 2: I was first in Shanghai and we were looking at 35 00:02:13,350 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: record high over 40°C temperature here, but it wasn't just Shanghai. 36 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,490 Speaker 2: The government had issued red alerts for more than 80 37 00:02:20,490 --> 00:02:23,940 Speaker 2: cities in July and that's nearly half of China that 38 00:02:23,940 --> 00:02:25,860 Speaker 2: was affected by this heat wave 39 00:02:25,875 --> 00:02:31,085 Speaker 2: Where peak temperatures reached 45°C. So then in August I 40 00:02:31,085 --> 00:02:34,805 Speaker 2: headed to the worst affected area which is chongqing and 41 00:02:34,805 --> 00:02:38,524 Speaker 2: the moment I landed, it literally feels like I stepped 42 00:02:38,535 --> 00:02:41,085 Speaker 2: in front of an open heated oven 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,470 Speaker 2: And over there there were 66 rivers and 25 reservoirs 44 00:02:44,470 --> 00:02:47,579 Speaker 2: that had dried up. And we passed by a wildfire 45 00:02:47,580 --> 00:02:50,060 Speaker 2: one night, a forest wildfire. There were a total of 46 00:02:50,060 --> 00:02:53,290 Speaker 2: 14 wildfires that had broken out there. Some of them 47 00:02:53,290 --> 00:02:55,489 Speaker 2: took as long as six days to put up. 48 00:02:55,500 --> 00:02:57,769 Speaker 1: Yeah, I remember seeing images of you as you're doing 49 00:02:57,770 --> 00:02:58,230 Speaker 1: a life cry 50 00:02:58,685 --> 00:03:00,704 Speaker 1: with us on C. N. A. And you were just 51 00:03:00,705 --> 00:03:03,995 Speaker 1: standing with this line of a wildfire behind you is 52 00:03:03,995 --> 00:03:06,515 Speaker 1: a remarkable sight to see. And I imagine while you 53 00:03:06,514 --> 00:03:08,175 Speaker 1: were there, you were able to speak to people on 54 00:03:08,175 --> 00:03:09,984 Speaker 1: the ground to get an idea of how they were 55 00:03:10,014 --> 00:03:12,325 Speaker 1: coping day to day, especially on top of all the 56 00:03:12,325 --> 00:03:15,125 Speaker 1: covid restrictions. That must have really complicated things. 57 00:03:15,870 --> 00:03:19,100 Speaker 2: What I found really fascinating was that in Sichuan province, 58 00:03:19,110 --> 00:03:21,970 Speaker 2: when I went to the subway stations, I saw there 59 00:03:21,970 --> 00:03:24,820 Speaker 2: were crowds of people there in the corridors and on 60 00:03:24,820 --> 00:03:27,310 Speaker 2: the stairways and they were there to take advantage of 61 00:03:27,310 --> 00:03:30,340 Speaker 2: the free air conditioning. And I mean these people actually 62 00:03:30,340 --> 00:03:34,070 Speaker 2: brought little stools and tables and they're chilling there for hours. 63 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,530 Speaker 2: There are middle aged men and women with their friends 64 00:03:36,530 --> 00:03:39,630 Speaker 2: playing cards in the subway station and their parents and 65 00:03:39,630 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: their kids there, some of them are just plain 66 00:03:41,175 --> 00:03:43,735 Speaker 2: games on their phones. So it's quite a sight and 67 00:03:43,735 --> 00:03:45,505 Speaker 2: I realized when I spoke to them that some of 68 00:03:45,505 --> 00:03:48,145 Speaker 2: them don't have air conditioning at home or the cooling 69 00:03:48,145 --> 00:03:50,505 Speaker 2: system at home isn't as strong or they simply can't 70 00:03:50,505 --> 00:03:53,715 Speaker 2: afford to fork out over ¥1000 a month. That's about 71 00:03:53,765 --> 00:03:56,955 Speaker 2: 100 and $50 a month on electricity bills to keep 72 00:03:56,955 --> 00:03:58,035 Speaker 2: their homes cool. 73 00:03:58,245 --> 00:04:01,875 Speaker 1: It's quite a remarkable situation to be in for residents, 74 00:04:01,895 --> 00:04:04,405 Speaker 1: particularly if your home is just not prepared for it 75 00:04:04,405 --> 00:04:06,375 Speaker 1: and you're just not used to this kind of weather. 76 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,740 Speaker 1: So with that in mind then, what have authorities been 77 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:11,030 Speaker 1: doing to mitigate the impact of the heat wave? We 78 00:04:11,030 --> 00:04:13,970 Speaker 1: saw you reported on wells being dug to reach underground 79 00:04:13,970 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: water supplies? 80 00:04:15,020 --> 00:04:17,830 Speaker 2: Yes, the authorities have also been trying the cloud seeding 81 00:04:17,830 --> 00:04:21,339 Speaker 2: method to induce rain. The problem with that is that 82 00:04:21,350 --> 00:04:24,930 Speaker 2: is now causing torrential rains in the drought hit areas, 83 00:04:24,940 --> 00:04:28,390 Speaker 2: causing the government to issue flood alerts. They also release 84 00:04:28,390 --> 00:04:32,100 Speaker 2: more water from the Three Gorges Dam about 500 million 85 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: cubic meters of it. But there is a problem with 86 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,020 Speaker 2: this as well. It might come at the expense of 87 00:04:37,020 --> 00:04:41,620 Speaker 2: future power generation capacity, especially when we hit the winter season, 88 00:04:41,620 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 2: when demand for 89 00:04:42,290 --> 00:04:46,339 Speaker 2: electricity for heating would go up. The other precaution that 90 00:04:46,339 --> 00:04:49,230 Speaker 2: they're taking is that by issuing these red alert, they're 91 00:04:49,230 --> 00:04:53,469 Speaker 2: actually triggering relevant departments to take measures to prevent heatstroke 92 00:04:53,470 --> 00:04:56,780 Speaker 2: for instance. So working hours for laborers in high temperature 93 00:04:56,779 --> 00:05:00,770 Speaker 2: environments have to be reduced. Government departments are providing items 94 00:05:00,770 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 2: like blocks of ice to cool down working stations and 95 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,820 Speaker 2: these days the covid workers out there, they no longer 96 00:05:06,820 --> 00:05:09,549 Speaker 2: wear full PPE because those has 97 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,469 Speaker 2: suits are extremely stifling. They don't absorb your sweat very well. 98 00:05:13,470 --> 00:05:15,849 Speaker 2: So all your body fluids will be collecting inside the 99 00:05:15,850 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 2: suit and it's extremely uncomfortable to wear. 100 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,310 Speaker 1: So complicated isn't it? With all the covid restrictions that 101 00:05:21,310 --> 00:05:24,620 Speaker 1: we've seen continuing to be rolled out as china clings 102 00:05:24,620 --> 00:05:27,750 Speaker 1: to its zero covid approach. Stay right with us. My 103 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,890 Speaker 1: next on CNN correspondent. Women will tell you how the 104 00:05:30,890 --> 00:05:33,740 Speaker 1: heat wave has affected everything from food security to energy 105 00:05:33,740 --> 00:05:36,830 Speaker 1: supplies and how the extreme weather is far from over. 106 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: Mhm 107 00:05:44,089 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: Hi, my name 108 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,590 Speaker 2: is julie. You and I'm the host of the new 109 00:05:47,589 --> 00:05:52,650 Speaker 2: season of the climate conversations from chefs to scientists join 110 00:05:52,650 --> 00:05:55,790 Speaker 2: me as we get personal with the people driving change 111 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: and sustainability look out for our episodes wherever you get 112 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:00,580 Speaker 2: your podcasts. 113 00:06:07,730 --> 00:06:12,900 Speaker 1: The key is that it can't be planted whatever you do, 114 00:06:12,900 --> 00:06:17,169 Speaker 1: you can't grow anything. We're in the field every day, 115 00:06:17,170 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: but we can't do it, I can't harvest any cabbage 116 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: these days, the crops have all died. 117 00:06:25,790 --> 00:06:29,219 Speaker 1: That was wang Yongfu, A farmer in chongqing talking about 118 00:06:29,220 --> 00:06:31,770 Speaker 1: the dire situation he's facing as a result of the 119 00:06:31,770 --> 00:06:35,310 Speaker 1: prolonged heat wave, you're with me, steve Lyons CNN correspondent 120 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,710 Speaker 1: who spoke with Mr wang about the challenges he was 121 00:06:38,710 --> 00:06:41,620 Speaker 1: facing and it's not just crop farmers that have been 122 00:06:41,620 --> 00:06:45,030 Speaker 1: hit hard. Animal farmers have also been heavily impacted. 123 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,670 Speaker 2: That's right. The same farmer, you've just heard told me 124 00:06:47,670 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: that several of his chickens died, including he said his 125 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: biggest one that weighed over four kg. I could tell 126 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:54,789 Speaker 2: he was really disappointed about that. 127 00:06:54,950 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 2: According to government statistics, 350,000 livestock were affected by the Heatwave, 128 00:07:00,610 --> 00:07:03,909 Speaker 2: along with two million hectares of arable land. So those 129 00:07:03,910 --> 00:07:07,339 Speaker 2: land account for about 30% of China's rice production and 130 00:07:07,339 --> 00:07:09,420 Speaker 2: it's quite a significant impact. 131 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:11,980 Speaker 1: Certainly is what has this meant for food production and 132 00:07:11,980 --> 00:07:14,930 Speaker 1: food security as well. How big of a concern is it? 133 00:07:15,290 --> 00:07:18,580 Speaker 2: Well, crops are affected and livestock are dying, so when 134 00:07:18,580 --> 00:07:22,300 Speaker 2: supply go down prices go up. So already in July, 135 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: we're looking at fresh fruits and veggie prices going up 136 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,820 Speaker 2: between 10-20%, pork prices also went up over 20% and 137 00:07:29,820 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 2: it's not just because of livestock dying. Meat prices are 138 00:07:33,170 --> 00:07:36,090 Speaker 2: also affected by the feed industry. And some major feed 139 00:07:36,090 --> 00:07:39,150 Speaker 2: producers said in August that they're raising the prices of pig, 140 00:07:39,150 --> 00:07:42,190 Speaker 2: poultry and fish feeds because of rising costs of grains. 141 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:43,290 Speaker 2: And that's because 142 00:07:43,975 --> 00:07:47,125 Speaker 2: imports of grains have also been affected by the drought. 143 00:07:47,135 --> 00:07:50,635 Speaker 2: The Yangzi River is actually a major logistics channel for 144 00:07:50,635 --> 00:07:55,245 Speaker 2: shipping these imported agricultural commodities, which then unload and support 145 00:07:55,255 --> 00:07:59,115 Speaker 2: at Wuhan to be processed into livestock feed in central china. 146 00:07:59,125 --> 00:08:01,905 Speaker 2: But when the water levels are so low, these shipping 147 00:08:01,905 --> 00:08:04,065 Speaker 2: channels get cut off and the goods had to be 148 00:08:04,075 --> 00:08:07,235 Speaker 2: unloaded closer to the coast. And that adds a lot 149 00:08:07,235 --> 00:08:10,765 Speaker 2: of shipping time and costs for producers, which eventually trickle 150 00:08:10,765 --> 00:08:12,220 Speaker 2: down to consumers. 151 00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:15,190 Speaker 1: And the heat wave has also impacted industry as well 152 00:08:15,190 --> 00:08:18,190 Speaker 1: as energy demand surged to keep people cool and energy 153 00:08:18,190 --> 00:08:21,710 Speaker 1: production was cut as the dry weather severely impacted china's 154 00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:23,119 Speaker 1: hydro electricity generation. 155 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,810 Speaker 2: That's right because it's so hot demand for electricity went 156 00:08:26,810 --> 00:08:28,850 Speaker 2: up and in search one, we're looking at peak power 157 00:08:28,850 --> 00:08:32,329 Speaker 2: load setting new record highs at least six times in 158 00:08:32,330 --> 00:08:35,870 Speaker 2: august going up more than 25% year on year. And 159 00:08:35,870 --> 00:08:38,950 Speaker 2: at the same time because precipitation has dropped by half, 160 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,730 Speaker 2: hydroelectric power generation capacity also dropped by half. So it's 161 00:08:42,730 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: a double whammy 162 00:08:43,776 --> 00:08:46,896 Speaker 2: demand goes up, supply goes down. So the government was 163 00:08:46,896 --> 00:08:50,785 Speaker 2: forced to take drastic actions to conserve electricity for households, 164 00:08:50,796 --> 00:08:54,356 Speaker 2: they ordered factories to stop production for 11 days in 165 00:08:54,356 --> 00:08:57,806 Speaker 2: chongqing malls were also told to cut operating hours by half. 166 00:08:57,816 --> 00:09:00,226 Speaker 2: So all of these are going to affect retail sales 167 00:09:00,226 --> 00:09:04,106 Speaker 2: and industrial production in an economy already bettered by repeated 168 00:09:04,192 --> 00:09:05,452 Speaker 2: covid 19 lockdowns. 169 00:09:05,892 --> 00:09:07,982 Speaker 1: Now there is a little bit of respite is there? 170 00:09:07,982 --> 00:09:09,901 Speaker 1: I mean the worst of the heatwave seems to be 171 00:09:09,902 --> 00:09:12,742 Speaker 1: over for the year, but the prolonged heat wave has 172 00:09:12,742 --> 00:09:14,922 Speaker 1: caused a build up of water vapor in the air 173 00:09:14,922 --> 00:09:18,131 Speaker 1: and now there's the threat of flooding that could occur. 174 00:09:18,131 --> 00:09:20,462 Speaker 1: And you mentioned earlier as well, the cloud seeding, we 175 00:09:20,462 --> 00:09:23,282 Speaker 1: could be facing another problem for china with regards to 176 00:09:23,292 --> 00:09:24,531 Speaker 1: a deluge of water. 177 00:09:24,780 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 2: That's right. So many of those same areas that experienced 178 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,530 Speaker 2: drought are suddenly experiencing torrential rains, partly because of cloud 179 00:09:31,530 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: seeding efforts. So the government has issued flood alerts and 180 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 2: dispatched emergency forces to the area. Over 100,000 people have 181 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: had to be evacuated and the floods are going to 182 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: help fill those parched reservoirs. But it is going to 183 00:09:45,755 --> 00:09:50,125 Speaker 2: Economic activity further because authorities have also asked for instance, 184 00:09:50,125 --> 00:09:53,554 Speaker 2: over 300 minds to withdraw their workers out of safety 185 00:09:53,554 --> 00:09:54,554 Speaker 2: concerns 186 00:09:54,845 --> 00:09:57,655 Speaker 1: with all this in mind. Then all these events only 187 00:09:57,655 --> 00:10:00,704 Speaker 1: strengthen the call to take climate change seriously, don't they? 188 00:10:00,705 --> 00:10:03,065 Speaker 1: And china is one of the world's top two emitters 189 00:10:03,065 --> 00:10:05,444 Speaker 1: of carbon dioxide. So what is it doing as a 190 00:10:05,445 --> 00:10:06,305 Speaker 1: result of all this 191 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,750 Speaker 2: one silver lining from this crisis is that it's going 192 00:10:09,750 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: to accelerate china's transition into clean energy sources. It will 193 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,590 Speaker 2: increase the incentive for power companies to connect wind and 194 00:10:17,590 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: solar power into the electricity grid. It cost a lot 195 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,210 Speaker 2: of money to do that and for a long time 196 00:10:22,210 --> 00:10:25,100 Speaker 2: there wasn't enough market incentives to do so. But if 197 00:10:25,100 --> 00:10:28,490 Speaker 2: hydro power becomes less reliable and prone to disruption, because 198 00:10:28,490 --> 00:10:30,310 Speaker 2: of extreme weather companies will 199 00:10:30,325 --> 00:10:32,785 Speaker 2: Be more willing to invest for the long term. And 200 00:10:32,785 --> 00:10:36,215 Speaker 2: China has made mitigating climate change its key priority in 201 00:10:36,215 --> 00:10:39,235 Speaker 2: recent years, they have pledged to peak carbon emissions by 202 00:10:39,235 --> 00:10:44,295 Speaker 2: 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. So even as 203 00:10:44,295 --> 00:10:48,075 Speaker 2: the government is investing in more coal power plants to 204 00:10:48,075 --> 00:10:50,944 Speaker 2: meet the immediate energy needs at the moment, I think 205 00:10:50,945 --> 00:10:53,845 Speaker 2: those long term climate goals are not going to change. 206 00:10:54,540 --> 00:10:57,450 Speaker 1: Okay, good news that china is pushing it away from 207 00:10:57,710 --> 00:11:00,690 Speaker 1: the more traditional energy sources and looking to more renewable ones. 208 00:11:00,990 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: One last question for you, what are you working on next? 209 00:11:03,510 --> 00:11:08,290 Speaker 2: Probably the 20th Party Congress that's coming up on October 16. 210 00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:09,900 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that is going to be a big one. 211 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:12,490 Speaker 1: Will have a close eye on that. All these stories 212 00:11:12,490 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: that are coming out of china at the moment, whether 213 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,380 Speaker 1: it be the heat waves or the floods or the 214 00:11:16,390 --> 00:11:20,630 Speaker 1: continued push to keep covid zero all playing a part 215 00:11:20,630 --> 00:11:23,420 Speaker 1: as well, lead closer to that party Congress in the 216 00:11:23,420 --> 00:11:25,449 Speaker 1: middle of october thanks for bringing us those stories from 217 00:11:25,450 --> 00:11:26,939 Speaker 1: the ground up. Thank 218 00:11:26,940 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: you so much steve. It was great speaking to you. 219 00:11:32,990 --> 00:11:36,140 Speaker 1: The tv version of CNN correspondent is every Wednesday at 220 00:11:36,140 --> 00:11:38,870 Speaker 1: 9:30 p.m. You can also catch up with it wherever 221 00:11:38,870 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: and whenever you like on CNN dot asia do you 222 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,370 Speaker 1: like and subscribe to this podcast version wherever you're listening 223 00:11:44,380 --> 00:11:46,460 Speaker 1: to it so you can continue to get to know 224 00:11:46,460 --> 00:11:48,570 Speaker 1: our correspondence as we take you behind the scenes to 225 00:11:48,570 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: the stories they cover. Thank you for listening to our 226 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: correspondent team is made up of Jacqueline chan daniel lee, 227 00:11:54,290 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: Christina robert, Clara Yong and me steve.