Source: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Written by: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

The Second Chinese National Committee for Future Earth (CNC-FE) was established in the Zhuhai Campus of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), on May 25th, 2018. Qin Dahe, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was appointed as the Chairman of CNC-FE. Du Xiangwan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Wu Guoxiong, Hou Zengqian, and Fu Bojie, Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chen Ying, researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chen Chunsheng, Secretary of SYSU Party Committee, and Jiang Kejun, researcher of the National Development and Reform Commission, were appointed as Vice-chairmen. Dong Wenjie, Dean of the School of Atmospheric Sciences at SYSU, was newly appointed as Secretary General of the Second CNC-FE.

41 experts and scholars in the fields of natural sciences, 43 representatives from the fields of humanities, social sciences, policy, management, media and enterprises, have jointly become members of the Second CNC-FE.
In the keynote report titled “The New Trend of the International Future Earth”, Qin Dahe pointed out that since the industrial revolution, human society has faced severe challenges resulting from global environmental change. To address these challenges, the CNC-FE will strengthen the use of multi-disciplinary research methods to include natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, to achieve scientific breakthroughs and propose solutions to address major environmental and development problems. The ultimate goal is to significantly contribute to the ideas of “building a beautiful China” and “building a community with shared future for mankind”.

Zhou Tianjun, Secretary General of the first CNC-FE and researcher of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a summary report on the work of the first CNC-FE. Dong Wenjie, on behalf of the second CNC-FE, made a report on the work plan. Zhang Jianping, researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, Liu Shiping, senior journalist at Xinhua News Agency, and Xu Jintao, Deputy Dean of the National School of Development at Peking University, respectively, made topic-specific reports.

The experts also discussed and exchanged ideas about the second CNC-FE’s work plan, reaffirming the three initiatives issued at the previous 622nd Xiangshan scientific conference. First, to set up the “future Earth” major project, to promote the sustainable development goals of the UN in 2030; Second, to launch the “A Community with Shared Future for Mankind and Future Earth” international scientific project and to enhance the “The Belt and Road” into a “road of innovation” and a “green road”. And third, to promote the establishment of a “A Community with Shared Future for Mankind and Future Earth” international cooperation committee, led by national leaders.

"Future Earth” is a ten-year-scale scientific program from 2014 to 2023, launched by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the International Social Science Council (ISSC), established by UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations University. The aims of this program are to meet the challenges associated with global environmental changes occurring in different regions, countries and societies, to strengthen communication and cooperation between natural sciences and social sciences, and to provide necessary theoretical knowledge and research methods for sustainable development. In 2014, with Academician Qin Dahe as chairman, Academicians Liu Congqiang, Wu Guoxiong, Fu Bojie, and Du Xiangwan, and researchers Pan Jiahua and Zhang Qin as vice chairmen, the Chinese National Committee of “Future Earth” (CNC-FE) was established. CNC-FE served to become a link for China's scientific and technological community to participate in ICSU activities and for further enhancement and construction of China's ecological civilization.