The Effect of Three Gorges Project on Climate is Less Than 20 Kilometers

A few days ago, China Meteorological Administration National Climate Center, Urban Development and Environment Institute of Chinese Social Sciences Academy, and Social Academic Press jointly published the 2011 Green Cover Climate Change Book. This book first time rectified name for the controversial Three Gorges Dam Project. It clearly pointed out that Three Gorges Project didn't cause the change of climate, and its effect scope on climate is less than 20 kilometers.

In recent years, there happened serious drought in Southern Districts and Yangtze River middle stream and down stream areas, including the serious drought of Sichuan and Chongqing provinces in 2006, southwest drought from 2009 to 2010, and the spring and autumn serious drought of Yangtze River middle and down stream areas from 2010 to 2011. About the various extreme weather phenomenons which happened in Yangtze River basin, the idea that "Three Gorges Dam Project caused these extreme weather phenomenons" was hotly discussed without break.

This green cover book thinks that these droughts were related with Chinese large scale flood and drought change rules and the feature of precipitation change. According to statistics, Yangtze River basin experienced a rainy period about in the 1980s. From 1999, the climate started to change to the less rain period. In the recent tens years, the precipitation in Yangtze River basin decreased 10% to 12%. The droughts in Yangtze River basin just happened under this less rain climate condition.