URUMQI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, factory workers were busy sorting, packaging, and loading apples that were picked earlier onto trucks bound for markets from Shanghai to Paris.
Apples in Xinjiang are a geographical treasure. They are widely consumed in China and exported to countries such as France and Russia. But few consumers are aware that the main growing area of the crisp, juicy fruit was a dry and barren land 40 years ago.
A changing climate, together with the oasis development, has led to frequent rainfall, rising temperatures and expanded river flows, making apple cultivation possible.
Scientists attribute the agricultural success to a "warm-wet" climate transition.
DEBATED SHIFT
Located in the high-latitude interior of Asia, China's northwestern region is far from the oceans. Abundant sunshine and intense solar radiation have also caused high evaporation rates, making it one of the world's most arid areas.
As with apples, the suitable growing zones for many fruits, grains and cotton are expanding toward higher latitudes and altitudes in response to the ongoing trend toward warmer, wetter conditions.
For many people, the changing climate has become increasingly noticeable. On Chinese social media, travelers have posted photos of local lush, greener landscapes, expressing surprise that the once-arid region is beginning to resemble the humid south.
On the popular lifestyle-sharing platform Rednote, locals shared more tangible changes from daily life, like patches of moss and mushrooms sprouting in terrain where they were once unthinkable.
The concept of a warming and wetting trend was first raised by the Chinese glaciologist Shi Yafeng, who observed a long-term increase in temperatures and precipitation across the region. It began in the mid-to-late 1980s, intensified after 2000, and was thought to be closely linked to the accelerated water cycle driven by global warming.
Official data show that since 1961, the region has warmed at 0.34 degrees Celsius per decade, faster than the national and global averages, while annual rainfall has increased by 5.7 mm per decade.
"Global warming intensifies the atmosphere's water-holding capacity, and changes in wind patterns lead to more rainfall," Wang Pengling, a senior official at the National Climate Center, explained. "Besides, melting glaciers and snow from human-induced warming also contribute to the trend."
However, the academic community did not reach a consensus on this climatic shift. Some experts argue that the observed changes may reflect a temporary natural fluctuation, rather than a long-term trend.
"Increased precipitation is still just a quantitative change. It is not yet a qualitative shift that can alter the essential climate of northwest China," said Zhang Qiang, a chief meteorological engineer in Gansu Province neighboring Xinjiang.
The "warm" impact may be undermining its "wet" benefits, according to Yu Haipeng, a researcher at Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He said rising temperatures can drive evaporation, potentially offsetting gains from extra rainfall.
"The basic climatic pattern will not fundamentally change, and pressure on water resources and ecology will persist in the region," Yu warned.
Despite the disputes, there is a shared understanding that, as in much of the world, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense in northwest China.
A recent event occurred in early November, when a heavy snowfall hit Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, bringing a record-breaking 21 centimeters of snow within just 17 hours.
In October 2022, photos of ponds forming in the heart of the Taklamakan Desert made headlines. Scientists said the rare phenomenon was likely due to increased regional rainfall, heavy precipitation in the desert, and snowmelt floods from surrounding mountains.
Hail seasons also become longer and more frequent.
Similar changes are also being observed in other parts of northern China. This year, during the autumn harvest season, Shandong, one of the country's major grain-producing provinces, faced prolonged rainfall, disrupting crop harvesting and sowing. Persistent rains left fields waterlogged and soils too soft for conventional harvesting machinery, forcing farmers in some areas to resort to manual harvesting.
RENEWED CONCERNS
The ongoing warming and wetting climate trend can be a microcosm of the global climate dilemma: it offers both opportunities and urgent warnings.
In the short term, it has positive environmental impacts, such as promoting forest growth, increasing vegetation cover, and expanding crop planting areas.
However, in the long run, a warmer, wetter climate can spread agricultural pests and accelerate glacier melting. The number of glaciers in northwest China accounts for over 42 percent of the national total.
"Continuous rain during the critical ripening phase may dilute sugar content of melons, reducing sweetness and flavor," said Sun Junchao, a local agriculturist in Xinjiang's melon city, Hami. His team has used modern technologies, such as an artificial climate chamber, to grow melons under controlled environmental conditions that help them withstand extreme weather.
And the negative impacts are not limited to agriculture. The northwestern region is rich in cultural heritage, including ancient walls, rock sculptures and murals. Conservators are concerned that increased humidity could trigger destructive salt cycles behind these fragile artworks.
The Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve is also experiencing accelerated warming, leading to rapid lake expansion. Scientists are monitoring the impacts on wildlife, such as the once-endangered Tibetan antelope.
For local officials, the task is adaptation. Enhanced efforts are needed to strengthen monitoring, forecasting and early warning systems.
Noting that rising temperatures will accelerate glacier melt, Wang Feiteng, a CAS researcher and renowned Chinese glaciologist, said that local governments' top priority is to evaluate strategies to efficiently utilize the temporary period of increased water availability.
Wang Hui, a senior engineer at the Xinjiang Climate Center, called for enhanced climate feasibility studies and risk assessments for major infrastructure projects, urban planning and ecological development to enhance resilience to deal with the climate change. ■
