Over 156 scientists from 21 countries met in Beijing on Nov.4 and Nov. 5, 2018 to promote green development in the Belt and Road region. Titled “ANSO-Environment and Green Development”, the session had twenty-three presentations highlighting the themes of: (1) Water Tower of Asia under Climate Change and its impacts on Silk Road, (2) Ecosystem change in the coupled human-natural system over Tibetan Plateau and coping strategy, (3) A Green Silk Road, and (4) From Third Pole to Three Poles Environment.

On the meeting, scientists discussed the role of science in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), emphasized Arctic and Pan-Third Pole Environment changes and their impacts on climate/weather, and reviewed water security, livelihood, and ecosystem in the BRI regions. Topics of transboundary air pollutants/water issues, interconnectivity of people, culture, goods, services, and integrated framework for sustainability are also covered. The discussion aimed to promote an inclusive and win-win BRI, and underlined the demand for interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary research, interactions/linkages among scales, sectors and disciplines, and mechanisms for science-policy-society dialogues etc.

The participants agreed to work together to promote development of monitoring and models for seamless prediction, collection and management of big data. They will also join hands on nature-based solutions, risk assessment and hazard alert system. It is the consensus of the meeting to conduct environmental and social-economic assessment in the region to create different strategies for developed and developing Regions. They also underlined the significance of cultural and heritage conservation, thinkings and actions out of comfortable zones and more comprehensive spatial planning.

Supported by the program of Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road (Pan-TPE) launched by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), this meeting is held as a parallel session of the First General Assembly of the Alliance of International Science Organization (ANSO) in the Belt and Road Region & The Second International Science Forum of Scientific Organizations on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Prof. YAO Tandong delivering Keynote Speech