YNU team among Top 10 Advances in China's Climate Research

A groundbreaking study led by Professor Chen Wen from Yunnan University or YNU – located in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province – has brought home one of the most prestigious research accolades in the country in terms of climate research.

The team's paper – entitled Recent Pronounced Warming on the Mongolian Plateau Boosted by Internal Climate Variability – earned it a spot on the prestigious list of the 2024 Top 10 Advances in China's Climate Research on Jan 15.

The list was unveiled at the inaugural conference organized by the China Climate Research Committee and the Chinese National Committee for the World Climate Research Programme.

The study, published in the leading international journal Nature Geoscience, reveals that since the late 1980s, the transitional zone of Northeast Asia has experienced unprecedented warming – with its rate of temperature increase tripling on average over the Northern Hemisphere's land areas.

The research identifies internal climate variability – particularly shifts in the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) – as key drivers behind the phenomenon, alongside atmospheric feedback mechanisms.

The milestone was achieved through a decade-long collaboration between Yunnan University and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, or CAS.

The research team utilized diverse observational data, reanalysis datasets and advanced simulation experiments to provide crucial insights into regional climate dynamics.

Beyond headline-making academic achievements, Yunnan University and CAS have forged strong partnerships in talent development and scientific innovation. Their joint programs, such as elite training classes and academic exchange initiatives, are said to have significantly advanced China's atmospheric sciences.