White paper on "status of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Climate System" (SASOCS) has been submitted to Science Committee of Antarctic Research (SCAR) by the Scientific Steering Committee of "Antarctica in Global Climate System"(AGCS). Changes in Antarctic climate system in the past 50 years are assessed and changes for the future 100 years are projected. It is concluded that: 1) large spatial differences were found in the past 50 years in the changes of the Antarctic climate system, rapid warming and glacier retreating occurred over the Antarctic Peninsula and islands in the southern oceans; enhanced warm air masses were detected over the West Antarctica, and winter warming occurred in the mid-troposphere while cooling in the stratosphere. The date of polar vortex decay was delayed. Bottom water in the sector of East Antarctica was purified, and also warmed in some areas such as Weddell Sea. However, there was no obvious changes in surface air temperature and precipitation in the overall Antarctica. Sea ice extent had no obvious changes either in the last 50 years, although large changes were observed in some sectors. 2) It is projected that air temperature over the inland of Antarctica will increase by (3.4±1.0)℃, and sea ice extent will decrease by 30% in the end of the 21st century. Current models are not able to predict the quantitative relations between ice sheet melting and sea level changes under future climate warming scenarios.

Based on the winter half year (from November to the April of next year) minimum temperature data at 160 stations in China during 1955-2005, by using Mann-Kendall statistic test the abrupt changes in the minimum temperature were analyzed. The probability distributions of the minimum temperature series for the colder period (1955/1956-1988/1989) and warmer period (1989/1990-2004/2005) were given and the spatial differences of the minimum temperature between the two climatic periods were also compared. The results show that: 1) the significant rising of minimum temperature occurred in the end of the 1980s, and the rising amplitude was larger than that of mean temperature; 2) after the warming the probability of lower minimum temperature has apparently reduced and that of higher minimum temperature increased; 3) statistically, the rising trends of the minimum temperature were all significant over most regions in China except those in Southwest China.

Using the paleo-vegetation maps previously reconstructed by using pollen data and the modern carbon density data, the changes in terrestrial carbon storages in the Holocene period in mainland China were analyzed. The results indicate that the terrestrial carbon storage in the country generally increased from 10 to 6 ka BP, and 6 ka BP witnessed the maximum carbon storage in the time period analyzed. Since that time, the terrestrial carbon storage has consistently decreased. The most rapid drop occurred during the last 2 ka. This change could be attributed to the human activities since the Neolithic Age.

Using the reconstructed 500 hPa geopotential height data in 1880-1950 and the 500 hPa geopotential height reanalysis data from NCEP/NCAR in 1951-2004, the characteristics of the atmospheric circulation in East Asia on the interannual scale were analyzed. A prominent meridional teleconnection mode of 500 hPa positive-negative-positive height anomaly (P-N-P) from north to south was found along the east-coast of East Asia in summer. The mode reflects the in-phase variations in Okhotsk blocking high and west Pacific subtropical high. The relationship of the circulation mode with the summer precipitation in eastern China was also studied. The results show that the P-N-P anomaly circulation mode correlates well with the precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Northeast China on the interannual scale. When the blocking high becomes stronger, and the subtropical high locates southward and is stronger than normal, the precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Northeast China is above normal.

The daily minimum temperature data at 65 stations from 1954 to 2005 and the definition of first-frost date (first day in autumn and winter when the ground surface minimum temperature is equal or less than 0℃) were used to study the characteristics of interdecadal variations in the first-frost date over northern China. Results show that the first-frost in northern China occurred successively from north to south and the date of the first-frost had remarkably interdecadal variation characteristics, which were not totally identical in the different regions. After the 1990s, the late first-frost years have increased in most regions. Further analysis show that there was a close relationship between first-frost date and Arctic Oscillation Index (AOI). If the AOI was in a positive phase, then the zonally atmospheric circulation dominated in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first-frost was frequently later than normal, and vice versa.

Using the data of the livestock-losing-weight period (defined as the daily mean temperature≤-5℃) including the starting date, ending date, and duration, and the data of the negative accumulated temperature, mean temperature, mean maximum and minimum temperatures in the period of livestock-losing-weight from 1971 to 2005 in Nakchu district of Tibet, the variation trends of various temperatures in this region were analyzed by climatic linear trend method. The main findings can be summarized as follows: in the past 35 years, the starting date postponed at an average rate of (2.1-4.9) d/10a in various pastoral areas in northern Tibet; the ending date showed no significant changes, and the duration displayed an obvious shortening tendency. In addition, during the period of the livestock-losing-weight in the 35 years, the mean temperature exhibited an increasing trend, and the negative accumulated temperature (≤-5℃) a decreasing trend in pastoral areas. In the 1990s, the period of livestock-losing-weight was shorter, and therefore there is advantage in husbandry production.

Lack of climatic energy consumption data in socio-economics in China has become a bottleneck for researches on impacts of climate change on climatic energy consumption, such as residential heating and cooling etc. A method to construct the anomaly series of climatic energy consumption for residential heating in towns and cities is presented. It combines climate factors with socio-economic factors, such as population and per capita residential area, together, and intuitively reflects the impacts of climate on the energy consumption for urban residential heating. Based on four variables: annual town and city population, per capita residential area, heating degree-day (the base temperature is 18℃) and the standard coal consumption for heating defined in energy Conservation Design Standard for New Heating Residential Buildings (JCJ26-95)? the following conclusions are drawn: theoretically, about 360 thousand tons standard coal for heating in the warmer winter of 2001/2002 could be saved in comparison with the standard energy consumption for the average climate over 1971-2000 and in the colder winter of 2000/2001 extra 155 thousand tons standard coal for heating could be added in Jilin Province.

For revealing and exploring climate change and its causes, Granger causality test is introduced in this paper. In presenting the basic principle of the Granger test, several climatic variables are tested for their impacts on temperature changes in China by means of the Granger causality test, and the possible physical connections between these variables and temperatures in China are revealed. The focus lies on the impact of CO2 concentration on temperature changes in China; further, the cause for the lag of temperature changes in China relative to global warming is explained reasonably. Thus it is proved that the Granger causality test may be a new and useful method of the detection and attribution of climate change and its feasibility is demonstrated.

China's CO2 emissions change during 1971-2005 was analyzed by using Kaya identity in combination with the evolution of macroeconomic background. The study indicates that the increase of CO2 emissions is mainly due to rapid economic development and population growth. Meanwhile, improvement of energy intensity and optimization of energy structure are not only the important options in terms of CO2 abatement, but also play an important role in realizing the target of 20% reduction in energy consumption per GDP during the 11th Five-Year Plan.

2007 is the year of climate change. IPCC concluded that climate change is mainly (90%) man-made. The humanity has never felt the impact of climate change as deeply as today. Climate change is 2007's hottest topic in the international relations. People around world are joining their hands to meet the challenge posed by the climate change. China will host 2008 Olympic Games. Through green Olympics, Chinese will contribute to green house gas reduction.

Based on the World Meteorological Organization誷 (WMO) preliminary report on global climate for 2007 released on December 13, 2007, the main features of climate for 2007 are reviewed. Other remarkable global climatic events recorded in 2007 include record-low Arctic sea ice extent, which led to first recorded opening of the Canadian Northwest Passage; the relatively small Antarctic ozone hole; development of La Nina in the central and eastern Equatorial Pacific; and devastating floods, droughts and storms in many places around the world.

This paper analyzes the Bali Roadmap and its implication. As the outcome of the Thirteenth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP13) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Third Session of the Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol to UNFCCC, the Bali Roadmap guides the negotiation in the coming two years on the elements: GHG mitigation commitments beyond 2012 by developed country Parties, mitigation actions in future by developing country Parties, adaptation to climate change, the provision of technology transfer, financing and capacity building by developed countries to developing country Parties for them to take actions of mitigation climate change. Furthermore, the paper provides the perspectives on this negotiation, and concludes that the successful negotiation would be very crucial for the protection of global climate.