A Consensus among EU and China on GIES and Education
Song, X. F.
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources
Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101
Keywords: GIES; EU-China Cooperation;
Geographical Indication; agreement; China-Denmark; Belgium
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3974/geodp.2024.03.12
CSTR: https://cstr.escience.org.cn/CSTR:20146.99.2024.03.12
The 9th Joint Management Committee Meeting of the China Denmark
Research and Education Center in Denmark, and the dialogue
between EU and China scholars on Geographical Indications Environment &
Sustainability (GIES) was held from May 27 to June 3, 2024. A consensus on methodology and
technology on GIES and its application had been reached.
The GIES methodology and
technology was developed by Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural
Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR-CAS). A delegation form
IGSNRR-CAS participated the joint meeting. They were: Professor
Wang, Shenglin, lead of the delegation and Deputy Director General of IGSNRR-CAS, Professor Wang, Zhenbo, Director of Department of Education,
Professor Song, Xianfang, representative in the cooperation on water and
environment between China-Denmark, Professor Liu, Chuang, GIES team leader in
Science and Technology, Professor Liang, Tao, in water and environment and Ms.
Li, Limin, secretary of the GIES initiative.
1 The 9th Joint Meeting of China Denmark Research and
Education Center
The
9th Joint Meeting of China Denmark Research
and Education Center was held in Copenhagen, Professor Morten Laughesen,
Executive Director of the China Denmark Research and Education Center chaired
the meeting (Figure 1). Mr. Qin, Jie, representative of the Chinese Embassy in
Denmark, Mr. Mikkel Leihardt, Director of Higher Education and Science and
Technology of Denmark, Mr. Henrik C. Wegener, President of the University of
Copenhagen, Mr. Thomas Bjørnholm, Department of Natural Sciences of the Royal
Danish Academy of Sciences, Mr. Zhou, Qi, Vice President of the Chinese Academy
of Sciences and President of the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
delivered their speeches at the opening ceremony. They highly credited the
China Denmark science and education cooperation and achievements of China
Denmark Research and Education Center over the years.
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Figure 1 The 9th Joint Meeting of China Denmark Research and Education Center
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Under the theme of Green Transforma- tion?DOpportunities for
China-Denmark Co- operation, scholars from China and Denmark conducted
discussions and academic exchanges in the following five subgroups: water and
environment, nanoscience and technology, life sciences, social sciences, and
food safety and health. Professor Wang, Yanfen, Vice President of the
University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Guo, Zhengtang, Director of
the Earth Science Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of
China, Professor Tan, Weihong, Director of the Hangzhou Medical Research
Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as more than 120 Chinese
scholars from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Beijing
Genome Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (the National
Bioinformation Center), the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, the
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, the Research Center for
Biological Environment, the Institute of Biophysics, the Center for Excellence
and Innovation in Brain Science and Governance Technology, the IGSNRR-CAS,
Jinan University, Copenhagen University of Denmark, and Aarhus University).
At the academic
seminar in the field of water and environment, Professor Peter E. Holm,
Professor Wang, Shenglin and Professor Wang, Zhenbo summaries the China-Denmark
cooperation during the last year. Following the Framework Foundation of China-Denmark
Cooperation?DChina Denmark Green Joint Work Program (2023?C2026), Professor Wang
reported the progress of graduate enrollment, training, and international
academic exchanges of IGSNRR-CAS. Afterwards, both sides held academic
discussions on water and environmental issues and cooperation further (Figure
2).
The main topics discussed include:
(1) Land aquatic environment and its
management.
(2) Solutions for urban groundwater
management.
(3) Progress in research on terrestrial
ecosystems.
(4) Innovation of research methods and
solutions.
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Figure
2 Photo of the academic seminar on water and environment in China-Denmark cooperation
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Through
discussion, both sides unanimously agreed to have an implementation action
roadmap of the China-Denmark Green Joint Work Plan (2023?C2026), which was
jointly formulated by the ministers of China and Denmark in November 2021 based
on the China Denmark Science Research and Education Center. Key areas of
cooperation include: (1) climate and energy; (2) environment and water
resources; (3) green shipping and green maritime technology; (4) improving the
quality and sustainability of food and agriculture; (5) improving public
health; (6) strengthening economic relations; (7) science and technology. The
IGSNRR-CAS, Copenhagen University, Denmark and Aarhus University reached a
consensus on cooperation on GIES (Figure3, 4).
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Figure 3 Professor Peter E. Holm
from the University of Copenhagen, convener of the ??Water and Environment??
group at the China-Denmark Research and Education Center in Denmark
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Figure
4 Professor Song, Xianfang,
Convener of the Chinese side of the ??Water and Environment?? group at the
China-Denmark Research and Education Center.
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Figure 5 The delegation visited the Copenhagen Climate Centre of the United Nations
Environment Programme
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May 30, 2024, the IGSNRR-CAS
delegation visited the Copenhagen Climate Centre of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) (Figure 5). Dr. Chen, Zhuolun, Dr. Xu, Xiaozhen,
Dr. Gao, Jingjing, and Ms. Zhang, Xinyi from UNEP participated the meeting. Dr.
Chen, Zhuolun said that the Copenhagen Climate Centre of UNEP expressed his
great interest in climate change studies in China and the implementation of
GIES, which could balance environment and development. A common understanding
for the cooperation was made on global climate change, model construction, data
sharing, sustainable development, and GIES cases.
2 Academic Seminar of the IGSNRR-CAS and Ghent University
in Belgium
May 31, 2024, the academic seminar of IGSNRR-CAS and Ghent University in
Belgium were held in Ghent University. Professor Isabel van Driessche (Figure
6), Dean of the School of Sciences at Ghent University, Mr. Andries Verspeeten,
Director of International Cooperation, Professor Philippe De Maeyer (Figure 7)
of Department of Geography and Fellow of the Belgian Academy of Sciences,
Professor Peter Goethals of Department of Animal and Water Ecology at the
School of Biological Science and Engineering, Professors Haosheng Huang, Amaury
Frankl, Kwinen van Weverberg, Alain De Wulf, Veerle van Eetvelde, Maite
Dewinter, Marc De Batist, and postdoctoral and doctoral students from the
Department of Geography, attended the meeting (Figure 8). Ghent University had
established international program, a number of students from China was
increased year by year. In 2023, there were 888 students from China, accounting
for two-thirds of
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Figure 6 Isabel van Driessche, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at Ghent University at
the seminar
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Figure 7 Professor Philippe De Maeyer, academician of the Belgian Academy of Sciencesnat
the seminar
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the total international students in the
university.
Professor Philippe De Maeyer, the Associate
Chief Editor of the Journal of Global
Change Data &Discovery and the Digital
Journal of Global Change Data Repository and Co-Chair the GIES Task Group
of the Data Committee of International Science Council had a very good
cooperation with Professor Liu, Chuang in these activities. Professors Wang,
Shenglin and Philippe De Maeyer of Ghent University had extensive exchanges
with each other in the field of international mapping, GIS artificial
intelligence, global change and sustainable development, especially in GIES.
Both agreed to further develop scientific and technological cooperation in the
areas of geographical indication products and habitat standards, information
sharing, and artificial intelligence applications within the framework of the
EU-China Geographical Indication Agreement (Figure 9).
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Figure 8 Group
photo of the joint meeting at Ghent University, Belgium
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Figure 9 Professor Wang, Shenglin, and Professor Isabel van Driessche reached a consensus
on the cooperation between IGSNRR-CAS and Ghent University on GIES and
education
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3 Dialogue between IGSNRR-CAS and the Department of Agricultural of
EU
The IGSNRR-CAS delegation invited the Department
of Agriculture of EU in the afternoon of May 31. Ms. Raimondo Serra,
Representative of Asia Pacific Affairs, and Mr. Georges Henry Carrard, Officer
of China Affairs of the Department of Agricultural of EU and Professor Philippe
De Maeyer jointed the meeting (Figure 10, 11).
Professor Liu, Chuang introduced how
geographical sciences and big data and internet of things technology promoted
the implementation of the EU China GI Agreement. She said that in order to
implement the EU China GI agreement, IGSNRR-CAS launched the GIES (Geographical
Indications Environment and Sustainability) 2021?C2030 initiative with open
science principles, and created a GIES package. The 17 GIES cases and best
practices from China were successful made during the last three years, some of
them were listed at the EU China GI Agreement. Professor Philippe De Maeyer
introduced the progress of cooperation between Ghent University and China. He
pointed out that promoting the implementation of the EU China GI Agreement was
important part of the cooperation in Ghent University. Ms. Raimondo Serra and
Mr. Georges Henry Carrard said the GIES methodology was a highlight of the EU
China GI Agreement implementation, they appreciated IGSNRR-CAS contributing to
the Agreement implementation and will make arrangement to enhance S&T
cooperation between EU and China.
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Figure 10 Photo
of EU-China GI Agreement meeting on science and technology
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Figure 11
Group
photo of EU-China GI meeting on science and technology
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A detail work plan for implantation of the EU-China
GI Agreement in science and technology was discussed on June 1st at Ghent
University, including the agenda for GIES technology transformation and
capacity building in 2024 and 2025.