March 23 marks the 59th World Meteorological Day, with the theme of the Sun, the Earth, and the Weather, which aims to underline the importance of the Sun in our daily life and call for more attention to climate change and reasonable utilization of climate resources. This event conveys the objective and concept of World Meteorological Organization, and all countries and regions, namely, promoting governments and the public to have a profound understanding and insight into the natural law, guarding against weather and climate hazards in a scientific manner, proactively adapt and respond to climate change, and prompt sustained and wholesome socio-economic development.

The galaxy has approximately 300 billion fixed stars, and the Sun, which is a fixed star with the closest distance to the Earth bears vital significance to us. Within the span of over 4.5 billion years, the Sun remains a driving force behind the weather, climate and lives on Earth. The Sun is about 150 million kilometers away from the Earth, and a proper distance enables the Earth to retain an external atmosphere composed of oxygen and other gases and a water cycle rich in surface water, which is suitable for lives to nurture and thrive. The Sun is the most fundamental energy source of Earth’s climate system and a source of space weather fluctuations. Solar radiation change exerts impacts on atmospheric movement, and brings along the cold and warmth change and four seasons change on Earth.

Ancient Chinese people have established 24 Solar Terms in Han Dynasty by observing annual movement of the Sun, and formed a knowledge and social practice about changing rules of climate, season, and phenology. People learn about law about weather via natural phenomena, and draw on advantages and evade disadvantages by observing nature’s law. And this practice has gone a long way back.

Currently, people are more informed about the science of the Sun, Earth and Weather. Across the globe, as new generation information technology enjoys wider application in scientific sphere, global meteorological monitoring, forecasting, and warning service capacities have dramatically gone up, and the human society is more resilient to climate change and extreme weather events. In China, FY-3D satellite FY-2H satellite, and FY-4A satellite have become members of China’s polar-orbiting and geostationary meteorological satellite family and realized the operation of 8 meteorological satellites in the meanwhile. Over 200 new generation weather radars operate without interruption, and realize instant scan and upload of meteorological data. Over 9.6 million square kilometers’ national territory, national-level ground meteorological observation stations have surpassed 10 thousand and the average spatial resolution on the ground has narrowed down from 71 kilometers to 30 kilometers. On the strength of technologies like cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence, CMA is actively developing smart grid forecast: in 2018, national 24-hour sunny and rainy days forecast registered an accuracy rate of 88%, typhoon track forecast reaching global leading levels, meteorological warning information coverage of the public of 86.4%, and a satisfaction rate of meteorological services passing 90 points for the first time. In the vision of building a community of shared future, we are serving the country in terms of climate change response in terms of domestic affairs and foreign affairs, give play to the supporting role of science and technology in developing and harnessing climate resources like solar energy, wind energy and so on, and transform green development concept into conscious action.

Confronted with the challenge of climate change which has bearings on human destiny, we should constantly elevate capacities of meteorological monitoring, core forecasting technology, effective coverage of information, scientific prevention of hazards, and give play to the important role of meteorological disaster preparedness; attach equal importance to drawing on advantages and avoid disadvantages, explore new frontiers in adapting to climate change in midst of serving ecological civilisation, develop climate resources in a science-based approach, and serve green development; meet people’s demand for a better life, reinforce the application of Internet, artificial intelligence, and the big data, propel the transformative development of smart meteorological services, and provide a smarter, more accurate, interactive, and inclusive meteorological services for the public; actively engage in global meteorological governance, conduct global monitoring, forecasting and services, promote “Belt and Road” meteorological cooperation, and shoulder the responsibility of a major country in the response to major meteorological disasters prevention; ramp up meteorological science popularization, advocate the concept of respecting, conforming with, and protecting nature in the whole society; elevate the awareness and capacity of the public in disaster prevention and response to climate change, and make a bigger contribution to building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a beautiful China.(Mar.25)

Editor: Liu Shuqiao