Recorded presentationJ6.2
Impacts of Rapid Development of Urban Environment on City Weather Services in the Shanghai Region
Xu Tang Sr., Shanghai Meteorological Regional Center, CMA, China, Shanghai, China
With its dense population, rapid economic growth and dramatic rate of urbanization, Eastern China (including the Shanghai region) is experiencing more problems and demands in city weather services. For example, in Shanghai of China, the building areas have expanded from 172.56 to 748.73 million m2 between 1990 and 2007, and the numbers of automobiles have increased from 0.47 to 2.54 million between 1996 and 2007. The GDP has increased by 400% between 1996 and 2007, accounting for more than 5% of total GDP in China. The rapid growth of urbanization will cause wide-ranging potential consequences for weather and climate related urban environments (urban heat island, lightning, air pollution, and changes in urban local circulation), human health, and for cultivated and natural ecosystems. As a result, urban meteorology in combination with its environment and its operational manner of application are crucial to meet the needs and challenges in the field of urban settlement and its sustainable development. In this paper, we will address the following issues regarding the changes in urban environments and the challenges in city weather services. First we will show the changes in urban environments in the Shanghai Region. Second, we will address the requirements of weather services in the changing urban environments due to urbanization. Finally we will highlight the approaches for the new service developments to improve the city weather services in the Shanghai region.
Joint Session 6, Urban Implications of Climate Change and Population Growth
Thursday, 15 January 2009, 11:00 AM-12:15 PM, Room 121A
Previous paper Next paper