Chinese meteorologist Liu Hongbin said the conclusion was drawn from some 40 climate forecasting models.

Liu Hongbin said the models show that if the emissions of greenhouse gases cannot be brought under effective control and the global population growth maintains its current pace, temperatures in China will rise 5.5 degrees Celsius on average by the end of this century, and precipitation will increase by 14 percent.

However, if global population growth could be controlled and further achievements made in science and technology, China's average temperature will rise by 3.4 degrees Celsius and the precipitation will rise by 9 percent.

The global temperature is expected to increase by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius in the 21st century. 

(CRI June 5, 2004)