The most effective and active way to improve the living environment of Macao is for all local residents to cooperate and save energy, which will help stem global warming, said Fong Soi Kun, Director of the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), on Friday.

According to the data released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau of Macao initially projected that the average temperature of Macao will probably increase by 2.7 Celsius degrees and the annual rainfall by four percent.

As a result of the rising sea levels in nearby areas due to melting glaciers, Macao will experience a lack of rainfall in winter and spring, while the torrential rainfall in summer and fall will be aggravated.

In order to respond to these natural catastrophes that may arise in Macao, residents should start learning simple energy saving techniques, support environmental protection initiatives, and play a part in slowing down the pace of global warming, Fond told the press in a government-coordinated interview on environmental protection.

Macao has to sustain the damage and flooding caused by severe weather conditions, such as typhoon, in recent years. Using the example of flooding in the island city's Inner Harbor areas, Fong said sea levels are rising around the world because of the thermal expansion of sea water and melting glaciers due to global warming.

He pointed out that if future sea level rises 50cm, the Inner Harbor areas, which are currently affected by minor flooding, will be submerged up to the knee height of an adult. Also, the annual frequency of flooding will increase significantly.

According to the Fourth Assessment on Climate Change, the IPCC estimates that the water level in the Pearl River Estuary, which is adjacent to Macao, will rise 40-60 cm by 2050.

Fong also stressed that the active participation of the population in environmental protection and energy saving initiatives is "the best way to improve climate conditions in Macao", since the generation of electricity, which produces greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, motorized vehicles and industrial production are all examples of extensive fossil fuel use by humans and are the root cause of global warming and environmental deterioration.

As an actual support to energy-saving and environmental protection, the government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) announced on Friday its participation in Earth Hour, a global environmental awareness event organized by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on March 28.

Joining other places around the world, the lights of the buildings of various SAR government departments, and three sea-crossing bridges of the island city were switched off on Saturday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2009)