On 26th November,the signing ceremony of strategic cooperation framework agreement between Joint Instituteof Environmental Research and Pearl River Water Resource Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources was held in Pearl River Water Resource Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources. Zhang Gan, the deputy director of Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kevin Jones, professor of Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Yang Zhou, vice president of South China Agricultural University and Wang Qiusheng, inspector of Pearl River Water Resource Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of their parties.
Joint Instituteof Environmental Research was co-founded by Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University and South China Agricultural University in 2016.As an international cooperation institute of scientific research and teaching, it is committed to promoting scientific research, teaching and innovation activities in the environmental area. Pearl River Water Resources Commission is a drainage basin management institution established by Ministry of Water Resources. Pearl River Water Resources Commission shoulder the responsibility of water resource management and protection. In order to face the common challenges in Pearl water resource development and harness and water environment protection, three cooperative parties of Joint Instituteof Environmental Research signed the strategic cooperation framework agreement with Pearl River Water Resources Commission to conduct scientific research, teaching and innovation cooperation in relevant areas such as water resource and environment. They also want to expand China-UK cooperative area of environmental science and strengthen international cooperation platform for scientific and technological innovation by sharing resources, exchanging talents, establishing fund and jointly organizing activities.
Zhang Gan said Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry has been in close cooperation with Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University and South China Agricultural University for long time and had achieved a series of fruitful results. For example,Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry worked with Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University to apply to EU for assistance for “SEW-REAP”, and about 20 European scholars were introduced to Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry to conduct cooperative researches in environmental area. In 2017, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry carried out a plan called “southern pollution observation and research program(SCP)” specializing Belt and Road Initiative scientific cooperation. We conducted environmental observation and evaluation research along the 21st Maritime Silk Road countries and areas which are at low latitude. During the past days, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry and Joint Instituteof Environmental Research jointly organized “Chinese Academy of Sciences Belt and Road Initiatives and scientific and technological training class” for developing countries. More than ten young researchers from Belt and Road Initiative countries were trained, and they also took part in the signing ceremony. Zhang Gan said that the participation of Pearl River Water Resources Commission will profoundly promote the research of Joint Instituteof Environmental Research about Pearl drainage basin environment, on which the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistryneeds to focus.
By CHENG Ju
