Topic: Water challenges in the face of climate change and extreme weather

Speaker: Yongqin Chen

Date:  June 19th, Tuesday

Time:  4:30pm-5:30pm

Venue:  Governing Board Meeting Room, Daoyuan Building

Language:  English

Speaker Profile :

Dr. Yongqin David Chen is a Professor and the immediate past Chairman of the Department of Geography and Resource Management, and the Leader of China Environment Programme, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research and teaching areas include hydrology and water resources management, climatology and climate change, environmental assessment and modeling, and regional development. He has published nearly 120 papers in these areas in international and Chinese journals (including Nature Climate Change), as well as book volumes. In recent years he has received research awards from Ministry of Education and Chinese Society of Natural Resources. He has been active in serving in various capacities in several universities, professional societies and government advisory committees at local, national, and international levels.

Abstract:

Water is an essential resource for the survival of all species and development of human society.  The uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources, as well as depletion and disturbance of hydrologic systems by human activities, have caused and worsened various water problems around the world. Moreover, water is particularly sensitive and vulnerable to climate change because hydrologic cycle is fundamentally controlled by regional and global climate. This talk will first introduce the basic science of hydrologic effects of climate change and the general understanding of how hydrosphere responds to global warming. Next, I will present an overview on how water problems, especially floods and droughts, will become more challenging from a global perspective as extreme weather is more common and severe under the changing climate. Then I will briefly introduce our studies and findings of climate change research in recent years, including the hydrologic impacts on floods and water availability in China and elevated increases in human-perceived temperature under climate warming in the 21st century.