The corresponding countermeasures of landslide risk control under influence of climate change in China

Abstract

As one of the most landslide-prone countries, China is significantly affected by climate change worldwide. Understanding the influences of climate change on landslides and optimizing the corresponding countermeasures cannot be overstated. In this article, an overview of climate change’s influences on landslides in China is presented, and the developing trends of landslides in various natural topographical regions were analyzed based on two decades of historical recordings. The regions and major categories of landslides that are potentially influenced by climate change are summarized. The results indicate a growing trend of climate change is affecting the geo-environment, leading to the corresponding increase in severity, complexity, and spatial-temporal uncertainties of landslides in China. Accordingly, a proactive response is warranted to establish a more dynamic, efficient, and integrated framework of landslide risk control. This framework should encompass the entire risk control process from landslide identification, risk assessment, monitoring, early warning and mitigation, to address the issues of ‘What-Where-When-Why’ landslides would occur, ‘Who’ are the vulnerable elements, and ‘How’ the mitigation should be performed scientifically. This article is expected to help better understand the influences of climate changes on landslides in China and highlight the countermeasures responding to the challenges.