Can AI Stop a Сlimate Disaster? China and Pakistan Bet on MAZU
AI imagining of Planet Earth on fire, created using Midjourney AI
MAZU is a cloud-based, AI-driven multi-hazard early warning system developed by China to combat heatwaves, glacial lake outburst floods, and devastating monsoons in Pakistan.What it is: MAZU (Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap, Universal Coverage) is China’s answer to the UN’s «Early Warning for All» initiative. It was developed by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).How it works: The system operates through three channels — a station for meteorological services (automatic protection plans), a tablet for ports and farmers (industry-specific risks), and a smartphone for citizens (personal alerts and evacuation routes to shelters).Technology base: It all runs on Chinese Fengyun satellites, AI models («Fenglei» and «Fengqing»), and local Pakistani data.Why Pakistan needs it: The country faces three unique threats simultaneously — melting glacial lakes in the north, extreme monsoons (like in 2022, when one-third of the country was submerged), and the agricultural sector’s critical dependence on weather.The bigger picture: In May 2026, summer is arriving early in Pakistan — temperatures have already reached 50°C (122°F), and the NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) is issuing simultaneous warnings for both heatwaves and glacial lake outburst floods. The MAZU system can help Pakistan steer clear of serious losses.
AnalysisChina and Pakistan Eye New High-Tech Alliance 21 May, 15:30 GMT
