Green transformation through digital technology in urban areas plays a key role in enhancing urban resilience to protect cities and people against the impacts of climate breakdowns including unprecedented heat waves, storms and flooding, environmental protection experts said.

Digital technology has become strategic support in generating the models of climate risks, subsequent planning and adaptation actions to advanced early warning systems and resources management, said Kevin Austin, deputy director of C40 — a global network of mayors of the world's leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis.

"In fact, China is already one step ahead. Back in August, the State Council of China has issued guidelines to ramp up green transition in all areas of economic and social development. This explicitly mentions the need of maintaining green transformation through digital technology," Austin said.

He made the remarks during the forum titled Digitalization-Greening for Climate Adaptation and Sustainability of Cities held on the sidelines of the 2024 annual general meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation and Environment and Development in Beijing.

In China, some cities have already delivered groundbreaking actions with the help of digital technology, Austin said.

For example, with the help of cloud computing, the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province utilizes meteorology and hydrology databases to build a smart sponge city management system. Just last week, the city of Fuzhou in Fujian province announced that they would be the first Chinese city to join the C40 Water Safe City Accelerator to combat the escalating challenges of flooding and drought.

Liu Shijin, former deputy director of the Development and Research Center of the State Council, said green development of new urbanization cannot be achieved without the supports of digital technologies, which can also enhance climate resilience in urban construction.

Li Xiaojiang, CCICED special adviser and former president of the China Urban Planning and Design Research Institute, said at the forum that the adverse effects and risks brought by global climate change are increasingly affecting the sustainable development of cities.

"Cities, especially those with large populations, must be better prepared for threats brought by climate change, such as extreme weather events, the rise of sea level, heat waves and drought. And such threats must be considered and dealt with during urban planning," Li said.