China’s increasingly urbanised and wealthy population is driving a growing and changing demand for food which might not be met without significant increase in agricultural productivity coupled with sustainable use of natural resources. Additionally, the Chinese government has asserted an ambition of achieving an "ecological civilisation" (by adhering to green development concepts as a goal for China in President Xi Jinping's report to the 19th Party Congress 2017) to achieve environmental sustainability. The drive towards an "ecological civilisation" demands integrated research and policy development and implementation.
For many years we at UKCEH, with partner organisations, have been developing linkages with Chinese partners – through engagement, demonstrating scientific rigour and establishing trust. In developing these relationships, activities have focused on capacity building and include supporting exchanges of people between China and the UK, coordinating events to bring UK and Chinese scientists together with some of China’s policymakers, training, and knowledge transfer.
Partners
We have ten active signed formal Memoranda of Understanding with Chinese partners, and established connections with many other Chinese institutes:
- Shanghai Waterway Engineering Design and Consulting Co., Ltd
- Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES), Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES)
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
- China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR)
- Institute of Urban Environment (IUE), Chinese Academy of Sciences
- The Agriculture Committee of Hunan Province
- General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design (GIWP)
- Yunnan University
- Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute (CRSRI)
Projects
- Testing a water quality model of the Shiwuli River wetland (CCCC Ltd)
- VERDANT: Vegetation near Real time Detection and Monitoring for China (Met Office)
- Portrayal of Chinese Land Atmosphere Interactions (PORCELAIN) (Newton Fund)
- Sustainable Use of Natural Resources to Improve Human Health and Support Economic Development (SUNRISE) (NERC)
- International Nitrogen Management System (INMS) (UNEP)
- UK - China Virtual Joint Centre for Improved Nitrogen Agronomy (CINAG) (BBSRC)
- Synthesis of Remote Sensing and Novel Ground Truth Sensors to Develop High Resolution Soil Moisture Forecasts in China and the UK (STFC)
- Sources and Emissions of Air Pollutants in Beijing (AIRPOLL Beijing) (NERC)
- Pollution Discharge Management for Water Quality Improvement in the Songhuajiang-Liaohe River Basin, NE China (SUSTAIN H20) (EU/CRAES)
- Urban Flooding Research (RSocEng)
- Nature-based solutions for smart, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China (REGREEN) (EU)
- Sponge Cities within airshed and river basin management (EU)
- Yangtze River Economic Belt (ADB)
Contact us
For general enquiries, please see our Contacts page. To discuss our work in China, contact:
Associate Director of International Research and Development: Prof Harry Dixon
International Relations Coordinator: María Jarquín