In the afternoon of May 12, 2021, Roundtable Dialogue, Science for Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction in Mountain Regions: To commemorate the 13th Anniversary of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake was held in Conference Room 318 of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (hereinafter referred to as SKLGP) of the Chengdu university of Technology（CDUT）. The forum was broadcasted live online and offline, aiming to respond to the "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030" of the United Nations General Assembly and the programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CEL) initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), gathering the wisdom of global scholars, improving disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities in disaster-stricken areas, contributing to ecological protection, and building a society in which people and nature live in harmony.
Conference Site
Online Conference
Assistant Secretary General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Wenjian Zhang, Director of Science Division of UN Environment Programme Jian Liu, Director of Disasters and Conflicts of UN Environment Programme Gary Lewis, Director General of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Pema Gyamtsho, Deputy Executive Director of CBD COP15, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of PRC Ning Liu, Director of International Ecosystem Management Partnership, UN Environment Programme (UNEP-IEMP) Linxiu Zhang, our President Qingyou Liu and Vice President Qiang Xu attended the roundtable dialogue online and offline.
Representatives from the Natural Ecological Protection Division of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, PRC (China MEE), the UN Environment Programme-Crisis Management Branch (UNEP-CMB), The UN Environment Programme-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, World Resources Institute, Asian Development Bank, Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province, Florence University, University of Twente, Cardiff University, Kyoto University, the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR) of Sichuan University and Southeast Jiaotong University participated in the roundtable dialogue. The roundtable dialogue was co-chaired by Xuanmei Fan, Vice Director of SKLGP, and Linxiu Zhang, Director of the International Ecosystem Management Partnership, UN Environment Programme (UNEP-IEMP).
At the opening ceremony, Qingyou Liu expressed a warm welcome to the leaders and scholars attending this roundtable dialogue on behalf of the Communist Party and the officials of CDUT. He believed this roundtable dialogue will lay a solid foundation for DRR and geoenvironmental protection in mountain areas, create opportunities for cooperation among countries, and improve mountain disaster risk reduction and ecological civilization construction worldwide.
Welcome Remarks by Qingyou Liu
Wenjian Zhang said in his opening remarks that disaster risk reduction had been one of the most important priorities in WMO, and they had been paying more and more attention to the disaster risk reduction in the mountain regions in recent years. He believed that a strong collaboration can be built through this roundtable dialogue and we can work together to build an early warning system. Gary Lewis expressed solidarity to the people who lost their lives in the Wenchuan earthquake, and spoke about the importance of science in protecting the environment and improving disaster risk prevention from natural hazards such as floods and avalanches. Pema Gyamtsho stated that DRR requires global cross-border cooperation and ICIMOD was pleased to cooperate with partners in China and other member countries to create a safer, healthier and more prosperous future for the people of mountain regions. Ning Liu stated that mountains are important areas to prevent natural disasters and implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China attached great importance to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and was conscientiously implementing the relevant policies and regulations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, coordinating the implementation of projects to protect and restore important ecosystems in mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes and grasses, and continuously enhancing people's sense of access, happiness and security.
Opening Remarks by Wenjian Zhang
Opening Remarks by Gary Lewis
Opening Remarks by Pema Gyamtsho
Opening Remarks by Ning Liu
During the roundtable dialogue, scholars from around the world brainstormed and shared experiences on strengthening the science-policy interface for mountain DRR and disaster prevention and mitigation through thematic presentations. Scholars and researchers from UN Environment Programme, WMO, ICL, University of Twente, SKLGP and other affiliations made ten presentations, the topics included key research on the evolution of geohazards at different times and scales, how to conduct multi-hazard risk assessments for risk reduction plans in a changing environment, the impact of post-earthquake landslides on social vulnerability and post-earthquake risk evolution, DRR in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.
Participants’ introduction and experience sharing
During the roundtable dialogue, participants brainstormed on collaboration platforms and mechanisms on mountain DRR. Xuanmei Fan said that the roundtable dialogue was a good start for countries to communicate, to share experiences and to see the direction, path and space for future cooperation. Several experts pointed out the need to strengthen multi-country-multi-organization and science-policy cooperation in order to better address climate change and DRR in mountain regions. Based on this, SKLGP also took the opportunity to propose the establishment of a science-policy interface with various countries and organizations in the field of geohazard risk management and ecological protection in mountain regions.
Speech by Xuanmei Fan
At the closing ceremony, Qiang Xu, Vice President of CDUT, Deputy Executive Director of SKLGP, summarized the roundtable dialogue in three key words, which are "Thanks", "Cooperation" and "Welcome". He expressed his gratitude to the leaders and scholars who participated in this roundtable dialogue, and looked forward to the fact that all parties from different countries could soon usher in close cooperation and crowdsource their wisdom to work together for the mountain DRR and to bridge science-policy interface for a sustainable world. He also extended an invitation to the participants to visit CDUT and SKLGP.
Speech by Qiang Xu
To achieve high-quality development in China, we must ensure economic and social development and ecological civilization construction in mountain regions, and reduce mountain disasters and environmental risks. The roundtable dialogue focused on disaster prevention and mitigation and sustainable development from the perspective of science-policy interface, to fully gather international consensus, to develop a new path for cooperation in disaster prevention and mitigation, to explore integrated solutions to DRR in mountain regions, and to make contribution to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
