One of China's leading meteorologists suggested here Sunday that the country need to set up a uniform policy on climate change, in order to coordinate diplomatic, economic and social measures for ensuring the country's sustained development.

Qin Dahe, chief of China Meteorological Administration, who attended the 12th conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) academicians, said that the global warming brought about unbearable, irreversible and sustained effect to the Chinese economic and social development.

However, he said, there is still no plan to draft any strategy or policy fighting the global warming trends.

"We need to comprehensively study the effects from climate change and take appropriated measures accordingly," said Qin, who is also a CAS academician, adding that a national policy is desperately required.

He appealed the country to invest more funds into long term research on climate change. Meanwhile, he said a nationwide observation network on climate system would be useful.

The China Climate Observation System (CCOS) might help the Chinese garner more specific data of the globe. The existing climate observation network is only for weather forecast while theCCOS surveys physical, chemical and biological changes and human activities which could result in climate change.

Emission of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide primarily caused the global warming in the past half century. Statistics showed that in the latest 100 years the average temperature in China arose 0.4 to 0.5 Celsius degree.

A United Nations Environment Program report said that the climate change in 2003 cost the world at least 60 billion US dollars worth of damage, 10 percent more than that in the previousyear.

Experts estimated that by the year 2030, the average temperature in China would increase by 1.7 Celsius degrees. By the year 2050, the temperature would increase by 2.2 Celsius degrees.

"It's very sensitive and complex for every country to respond multilateral negotiation for climate change," Qin said.

"Thus," he said, "it's vitally important to set up a uniform policy."

Source: Xinhua