The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China (Ningxia) is an important food production area in northwest China severely affected by drought. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were calculated based on monthly meteorological data to explore climate change and variation in drought intensity, duration, frequency, and spatial extent in Ningxia during 1972–2011. Results show that the SPEI is more applicable than the SPI for exploring climate change and drought variation in Ningxia. The Ningxia climate experienced a significant drying tendency. Annual SPEI decreased about 0.37 decade⁻¹ during 1972–2011. Drought was exacerbated by this drying tendency. Regional average duration, maximum duration, intensity, and frequency of drought identified by the SPEI increased by one month, three months, 0.15%, and 36.1%, respectively, during 1992–2011 compared to the period of 1972–1991. The spatial extent of drought identified by the SPEI increased about 14.4% decade⁻¹ in the spring during 1972–2011. Spatially, drought frequency increased from north to south. Average intensity (maximum duration) of drought calculated by the SPEI increased (decreased) northward and southward from the central arid area.

Accurate estimates of extreme precipitation events play an important role in climate change studies and natural disaster risk assessments. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD), Asian Precipitation-Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources (APHRODITE), and Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) to detect the spatiotemporal patterns of extreme precipitation events over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in China, from 1981 to 2014. Compared to the gauge-based precipitation dataset obtained from 101 stations across the region, 12 indices of extreme precipitation were employed and classified into three categories: fixed threshold, station-related threshold, and non-threshold indices. Correlation coefficient (CC), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), were used to assess the accuracy of extreme precipitation estimation; indices including probability of detection (POD), false alarm ratio (FAR), and critical success index (CSI) were adopted to evaluate the ability of gridded products’ to detect rain occurrences. The results indicated that all three gridded datasets showed acceptable representation of the extreme precipitation events over the QTP. CMFD and APHRODITE tended to slightly underestimate extreme precipitation indices (except for consecutive wet days), whereas CHIRPS overestimated most indices. Overall, CMFD outperformed the other datasets for capturing the spatiotemporal pattern of most extreme precipitation indices over the QTP. Although CHIRPS had lower levels of accuracy, the generated data had a higher spatial resolution, and with correction, it may be considered for small-scale studies in future research.

Ice-and-snow tourism (IST) is central to the Chinese ice-and-snow economy and can help achieve the green transformation and expansion of the Chinese economy. However, IST has not been defined conclusively in China. In this study, the IST concept was analyzed, and the growth of both tourism types was described using an Event–Time–Space comprehensive analysis method. Two temporal phases with large increases were highlighted in both tourisms. The factors promoting their increases were analyzed from market demand, the Beijing 2022 Olympics Winter Games, and scientific and technological developments for ice and snow. The 2020–2021 decrease in IST was primarily attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, IST has dual challenges related to natural and socioeconomic factors. Climate warming has a long-term adverse effect on IST, particularly on glacier tourism. Traditional outdoor skiing tourism in Northeast China (NEC) may also be affected by more competition owing to increased ski tourism in the pan-Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XJUAR) and Southern China, as well as by the development of indoor skiing and ice/snow entertainment. These natural and socioeconomic factors currently limit the ability of IST to promote socioeconomic development in alpine areas, particularly in western China. However, there are many opportunities for future IST growth, including warmed comfort climate at high altitudes in the NEC, XJUAR and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, major glacier resource potentials, and IST development driven by policies. The findings of this study provide important information for decision-makers and investors in IST and its related industries.

The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NX region) of Northwestern China is threatened by increased meteorological drought induced by climate change (CC) and constraints on water supply from the Yellow River. Thus, the NX region is representative of attempts to adapt to CC and variability in China’s arid regions. Field visits, a questionnaire and in situ inspections were conducted in 2012–2014 to understand people’s perception and awareness of drought and its impact, particularly with respect to adaptation strategies. We mainly focused on drought adaptation actions and planning implemented at the government level under the double pressures of drought and allocation. We described a suitable adaptation pathway for socio-economic sustainable development and discussed existing adaptation barriers. Construction of modern efficient water-saving agriculture lies at the core of drought adaptation, with socio-economic sustainable development being the ultimate goal. To achieve this, policies and institutional, engineering, technological, structural and social initiatives and measures—classified into macro adaptation strategies and specific coping measures—are implemented. Adaptation often encounters obstacles, e.g., policy issues from household contract responsibility systems, funding difficulties of low-income farmers, traditional behavioral habits and low education and literacy levels among farmers. The adaptation pathway involves the construction of modern efficient water-saving agriculture. Agricultural water savings are then transferred to developed industries, which back-feed socio-economic sustainable development in the NX region.

The Chinese Himalayas (CH) is highly sensitive to global climate change. The analyses of monthly mean air temperature and monthly precipitation data during the 1971–2007 from 24 meteorological stations show a significant increase of 0.31 °C per decade or about 1.15 °C for annual mean air temperature over the entire region. The temperature rise occurs primarily during the period of 1991–2007, up to 0.73 °C per decade. Climate warming is characterized by all‐year temperature increase in particular during winters with the maximum value of 0.38 °C per decade during the 1971–2007, up to 1.24 °C per decade during 1991–2007. Distributions of annual temperature trends show significant south‐to‐north, low‐to‐high and east‐to‐west warming trends to increase with the latitude and elevation while to decrease with the longitude in the CH, respectively. Annual precipitation increases, but not significantly during the 1971–2007. Seasonal precipitation has no significant trend during the same period, either. Spatial discrepancy of the variations in precipitation is particularly great. It is evident that the climate was significantly warming and drying in the western CH over the past 37 years.