“CERN International Cooperation for SDGs” session successfully held
On November 22nd, 2019, “CERN International Cooperation for SDGs” session of the First National Science Congress on Ecosystem Observation and Research, co-organized by the United Nations Environment Programme - International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP) and the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (RCEECA), was successfully held in Beijing, with nearly 60 representatives attending the session.
Director Zhang Linxiu of IEMP, speaking at the opening ceremony of the session, highlighted that Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) was an important founding member of the global ecosystem research infrastructure network. CERN’s members actively carried out cooperation and exchanges with developed countries and jointly conducted ecosystem monitoring and research cooperation in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and other developing areas. In 2011, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) jointly established the IEMP to provide a multilateral platform for CERN international cooperation and a number of overseas projects for developing countries have been jointly developed. Finally, Zhang Linxiu expressed the hope that relevant organizations could share their progress and platforms on the international cooperation in ecosystem monitoring, research and demonstration through this session, to provide new opportunities and support for achieving the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Belt and Road Initiative.
During the session, representatives from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of CAS, RCEECA, Ministry of Natural Resources, National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) and IEMP introduced their work progress and research plan regarding ecosystem monitoring and research respectively. Monika MacDevette, Deputy Director of the Ecosystems Division at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Arthur Hanson, Founder and Director of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Salif Diop, Academician of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and Hu Peixing, Deputy Director of Desertification Control Division, NFGA made comments on 5 reports of the session and related work as specially-invited experts. In addition, attendees also made exchanges and discussions on the opportunities, mechanisms, forms and priorities of the international cooperation in ecosystem monitoring, research and demonstration for the SDGs of the United Nations.
The First National Science Congress on Ecosystem Observation and Research was held in Beijing between November 21st and 22nd, 2019, with almost a thousand participants, including 25 sessions on 7 fields. The Academic Seminar for the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of CERN and the 25th Working Conference of CERN were also held over the same period, where relevant research achievements were published and the CERN Contribution Award in Science and Technology, Youth Best Paper Award and 30th Anniversary Medal were awarded.
Congress scene
Session scene
Expert comments