Kitty TamandLawrence Iu

Opinion | Climate change: what Maui wildfires and Beijing floods can teach Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s climate adaptation plans must take into account the rise of extreme weather events, pay attention to topographically vulnerable areas and the impact of urbanisation, and make natural habitats a part of its solutions

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Kitty TamandLawrence Iu

Published: 6:15am, 28 Aug 2023

The deluge of record-breaking rainfall that submerged Beijing’s streets and the blazing wildfires that tore through the Hawaiian island of Maui might seem unrelated, but there exists an unexpected connection between these seemingly distant events.

Despite their apparent differences, these events have important similarities that can teach us valuable lessons as Hong Kong faces its own challenges from the often-unnoticed but dangerous climate crisis.

First, a common thread lies in the extreme weather patterns that triggered these disasters. In Beijing, weather stations registered an extraordinary amount of rainfall in a short period, resulting in almost a year’s worth of rain in just a matter of days. The city had already experienced extreme heat in early summer, and the effects of drought rendered the soil less absorbent and amplified the risk of severe flash flooding.

Similarly, a prolonged dry spell had plagued Maui, resulting in moderate to severe drought. The island relies on the La Nina climate pattern for essential winter rainfall but has not received the expected results, contributing to a 30-year trend of declining rainfall during the wet season.

Second, the significance of topography emerged as a common factor in both instances. In Beijing, the city’s susceptibility to flooding was influenced by its physical layout. Low-lying areas faced heightened risks as water naturally flowed into valleys, poorly drained basins and other urban depressions.

In Hawaii, the complex interplay of wind and terrain played a pivotal role in fuelling the wildfire. As wind cascaded over the mountains, the air dried out, becoming the ideal catalyst for igniting and spreading fires. Narrow canyons accelerated the wind, intensifying the spread of fires through hot embers.