Finding a Turning Point for Action at the Climate “Tipping Point”

Liu Dong – The Paper

On October 12th, The Paper’s Earth Channel officially launched. I would like to take this opportunity to share my experiences and memories of working with the team at The Paper on climate reporting over the past five years.

In 2021, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, experienced a tragic flood triggered by extreme rainfall. During an interview, one interviewee remarked something that stuck with me: “Nobody asked why this extreme rainfall happened.” At the time, many considered it a random, unfortunate disaster, an unfortunate accident. However, I began to investigate this question, and after in-depth research, I discovered that climate change was a significant underlying factor. From then on, I embarked on a journey of reporting on climate change.

In December 2022, Liu Dong, a reporter from The Paper, asked a question during the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

2022 was a year of many events. That year, my friends and I traveled to Chongqing, Jiangxi, and other places. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, we overcame difficulties to document the extreme weather disasters firsthand, leaving behind firsthand records and reports. Previously, many people, including myself, felt that climate change was far removed from our lives, but that year, my thinking changed. Climate change is actually all around us. From the wildfires in Chongqing to the high temperatures and drought in Jiangxi, and the saltwater intrusion in Shanghai, these phenomena all share a common thread—the driving force of climate change.

At the end of that year, we, a group of friends, discussed how to continue reporting on climate change. At that time, we discovered that almost none of the mainstream media in China were consistently, systematically, and long-term focused on this important issue. In January 2023, the online monthly journal “Critical Point,” dedicated to climate change, was launched, using the simplest methods to provide continuous, systematic, and in-depth coverage of climate change.

In May 2023, The Paper’s climate change reporting team visited primary school campuses to conduct an exhibition and sharing session on the theme of “Our Distance from Climate Change,” hoping to plant the seeds of climate action in the hearts of young people.

The keyword “tipping point” has two meanings: First, it comes from climate science’s reminder of several important critical points for the Earth—crossing these points could lead to irreversible and significant impacts. Second, we also believe that some positive tipping points exist in society, just as the consensus reached and actions taken by the whole society to combat smog ultimately succeeded in reversing the situation. We hope that climate change can also reach such a turning point.

Since the inception of Critical Point monthly magazine, we have remained true to our original mission, quietly steadfastly guarding what is perhaps the only mainstream media outlet in China focused solely on climate change. We are grateful to The Paper for providing us with this space, allowing us to delve into the heart of climate change and record real stories; it also gives us the opportunity to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, documenting how leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens from around the world are collectively addressing this momentous challenge in various national forums. We have also interviewed many globally renowned political figures and experts to hear their perspectives on climate change. Simultaneously, we are striving to find and showcase solutions to climate change, including energy transition and climate adaptation. We firmly believe that humanity possesses the key to solving climate change; the crucial question lies in our willingness to act and the speed of that action.

In September 2024, The Critical Point held an international symposium in Beijing to look ahead to COP29.

The Earth Channel is now officially online. We, a group of friends scattered across different fields but sharing a common goal, finally have a bigger “home.” In just two days since its launch, we have already received numerous praises from governments, universities, businesses, academic research institutions, and individuals both domestically and internationally. However, we know this isn’t because we’ve done anything particularly outstanding, but rather because we hope more people will join us on this journey.

I particularly like a line from the promotional video released today: “Because we believe that voices will be heard and actions will produce actions.” This is our mission and our responsibility.