Scientist warned of global warming 65 years ago

In 1961, meteorologist Tu Changwang published an article in the People’s Daily newspaper warning about global warming.

Tu Changwang, a founder of China’s meteorological science, wrote the article over three months while severely ill and nearly blind, dictating it with help from two colleagues. At the time, the global meteorological community had not yet widely focused on rising temperatures. His daughter, Tu Duobin, shared these details during a recent event celebrating scientists.

Tu Changwang prioritized national needs over personal advancement throughout his career. He abandoned his doctoral studies in the United Kingdom to return to China and contribute to its scientific development. Later, he declined a teaching position at Syracuse University in the United States, choosing instead to help build a democratic and peaceful China after the Second Sino-Japanese War. Tu Changwang also emphasized the importance of understanding China’s own climate.

He encouraged Chinese meteorologists to challenge foreign theories that did not apply to the country’s specific conditions and to focus on factors like the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the subtropical high-pressure system. He also foresaw the potential of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, and the use of satellites for weather observation, decades before these technologies became widespread.