China Meteorological Administration (CMA)

At the Frontline of Climate Action Campaigning

On 23 March 2024, World Meteorological Day, hundreds of thousands of visitors of all ages and backgrounds flocked to the expansive meteorological complex in Beijing, known as China MetTown, for a grand community carnival.

Amidst hanging scrolls, banners, streamers, and flags, the bustling campaign unfolded in four outdoor zones and four indoor spaces. With over fifty yurt-like booths and pavilions, the promotional corridors and boards were continuously updated. Simultaneously, celebrations were held at selected spots across China, making it a comprehensive nationwide campaign.

The campaign began at 09:00 with a World Meteorological Day video. It included the release of the Ten Major Advances in Meteorological Modernization in 2023 and the first-ever flagship Report on Global Meteorological Development (RGMD). It also hosted the presentation of titles and honours, and the launch of the World Meteorological Day theme. The campaign remained in full swing throughout the whole day. 

“March 23rd this year marks the 64th World Meteorological Day, the theme of which is At the Frontline of Climate Action, aiming to call on the whole society to take urgent action and engage in closer cooperation in climate change mitigation and adaptation, rising to the grave challenges posed by a warming planet to human survival and development,” said Dr. Chen Zhenlin, Permanent Representative (PR) of China with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Administrator of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

“Going forward, CMA will continue to stay at the frontline of climate action by focusing on technological innovation, climate change research, AI-enabled application, climate risk management and early warning, the revaluation of ecological products, the cultivation and growth of new productive forces, the empowerment of modern industrial systems, and the green and low-carbon development,” he vowed. 

World Meteorological Day serves as an open house day for the Chinese meteorological community. Unprecedentedly, this year’s celebration extended its reach far beyond the general public, engaging nearly all stakeholders: government authorities and regulators; both public and private businesses; academia and educational institutions ranging from top universities to local kindergartens. Civil society, an active participant and a resourceful advocate like La Fresque du Climat in particular, was also involved. Both traditional and emerging media outlets provided extensive coverage.

Alongside state-of-the-art equipment and instruments, there were children’s games, amateur mockup and drills, public lectures by academics, fun quizzes with prizes, and books gifted with the author’s autograph. All these activities were aimed at promoting climate action.

Notably, the amazing performance of WMO centers hosted by China stood out, specifically the Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Beijing. The RTC distinguished itself by showcasing its unique E-learning and micro-lectures, which were immediately hailed as a success.

The participative World Meteorological Day theme solicitation was an intriguing program that generated a good number of compelling proposals both online and offline. One of these, “A Shared Atmosphere for Mankind (无界大气 人类共享),” is proposed as a potential theme for upcoming years.

In summary, China, as a responsible and conscientious WMO Member, is committed to staying at the frontline of climate action as well as at the frontline of World Meteorological Day campaigning simultaneously. The commitment is evidenced by the above smart and striking concept and organization.

Contributed by CHEN Jinyang, Jacky ZHANG Yong, NA Xiaodan, Melinda XIAO Fang, Victor JIA Ning

Photos credited to GUO Caili, LIU Huaiyu, YE Mengshu, XU Wanzhi, WU Ziyu, WU Xinrui, ZHANG Yi, CHEN Siyu, MA Baohua, LIU Jing, ZHOU Qi

China Meteorological Administration (CMA)