A seminar hosted by the Research Council of Norway on climate, environmental and polar research in Shanghai recently gave Chinese and Norwegian researchers within these fields an important opportunity for expanding their cooperation.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Research Council of Norway (RCN) have recently jointly announced new funding for research related to climate and the environment.
The climate is a global issue
Minister of Research and Higher Education, Tora Aasland, opened the RCN seminar in Shanghai on 9 September.
"Measures implemented to prevent climatic changes, or the lack of such measures, in one part of the world will have an impact on people in other parts of the world. This is why international collaboration on the climate is so essential, not least in terms of research and technological developments," said Aasland in her opening speech.
High priority for polar research
During the Shanghai seminar, the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) and the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) signed an agreement regarding research cooperation. This Norwegian-Chinese polar research partnership comprises research of glaciers, sea ice and facilitation for research expeditions to the Arctic. Director Dr. Huigen Yang of the PRIC and Director Dr. Jan-Gunnar Winther of the NPI signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutes.
Jan-Gunnar Winther explains: "China is a new and strong figure in the arena of polar research. It was only natural that Norway, as a world leader in polar research, should sign a cooperation agreement with China. The Chinese will contribute advanced instruments, laboratories, climate models and, not least, sharp minds to the cooperative effort. They are also increasing their representation on Spitsbergen and are in the process of building a new ice-going research vessel."
The cooperation agreement between the two nations expires in 2015. Both parties are fully committed to strengthening communications and exchanging information. One of the joint projects for the institutes involves comparative studies.
High ranking meeting
While on a recent visit to Norway, Lu Yongxiang, President of the CAS, discussed this Norwegian-Chinese research partnership with the Director General of the Research Council of Norway, Arvid Hallén.
"Norway and China together represent vast opportunities for the future of research collaboration," explains Lu Yongxiang. He believes that, in addition to research on the climate and environment, China has a great potential to elevate its level of collaboration with Norway on subjects such as renewable energy, nanotechnology, neuroscience and biotechnology.
"We have recently increased the level of collaboration between the Research Council of Norway and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the CAS is now an important partner for us. The discussions we have had with the President of the CAS are therefore of great importance," explains Mr. Hallén.
Joint applications welcome
"By joining forces on financing, we are now able to publish a joint announcement regarding new funding for climate and environmental research. This really is a new milestone for our partnership with the CAS," confirms Mr. Hallén.
He believes that the research seminar, which took place on 9-10 September in Shanghai, has the potential to become a starting point for further development of the collaboration between Chinese and Norwegian researchers, and could pave the way for more joint applications for project financing.
Aim to face global challenges together
The President of the CAS is very positive to the Research Council's efforts at Expo 2010 in Shanghai, and towards international research collaboration relating to the climate and environment in general.
The global problems related to the climate and environment are too complex to be solved by one nation alone, or by researchers from one field of science. "The global problems related to the climate and environment are too complex to be solved by one nation alone, or by researchers from one field of science. Bilateral and multi-national seminars representing a high level of expertise provide invaluable stepping stones on the road to finding systematic solutions," confirms Lu Yongxiang.
He continues: "When researchers from several countries and fields meet, there will always be the potential for innovation and new solutions. This is an arena where international research collaboration can contribute to a greener, smarter and more sustainable future."
