‘Ordinary people suffer most’: China farms face climate woes

By CHRISTINA LARSON and EMILY WANG FUJIYAMA
Associated Press

JIAOZUO, China (AP) — China is the largest contributor to global warming, but meanwhile, China’s people are already suffering the brunt of climate change. Historic floods that destroyed farms this summer in the country’s agricultural heartland are a preview of the kind of extreme conditions the country is likely to face as the planet warms. Chinese government reports also predict rising sea levels will threaten major coastal cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, while melting glaciers imperil western China’s water supply. In a common pattern around the world, those with the least resources to adapt are often on the frontlines of suffering. As one farmer in Henan province said, “Ordinary people suffer most.”