To enhance the regional collaborations in science and technology in the context of the “Future Earth” program, the China-Thailand Joint Workshop on “Watershed Sustainable Development” was held on February 7-11, 2015 in Xiamen, China.

The Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLUEH, CAS) organized this workshop, co-sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). Drs. Congqiang Liu (Academician and Deputy Director of NSFC) and Soottiporn Chittmittrapap (Secretary General of NRCT) co-chaired this workshop and Drs. Bojie Fu (Academician and Director of Department of Earth Sciences, NSFC) and Monthip Sriratana (Director of Climate Change Research Strategy Center, NRCT) served as directors of the Secretariat.

The workshop focused on watershed sustainable development in challenges of global climate change and anthropogenic multi-activities, covering watershed based resources sustainability, environmental contamination and degradation, ecosystem service, impacts of society and culture on developmental patterns, adaptation to global climate changes and development policy, etc. Over 50 experts from China and Thailand participated in this workshop and shared knowledge and experiences via seminars and multiple roundtable discussions. All participants agreed to integrate natural science, engineering, social science, and culture at watershed scale to provide solutions of the increasing challenges and conflicts among resources, environment, and well-being for the future developments. During the workshop, scientists from two countries worked with agents from NSFC and NRCT together and developed collaborative research framework, including key research fields for short- and long-terms.

Both national funding agencies, NSFC and NRCT, valued this workshop very highly. Directors of the Bureau of International Cooperation (Dr. Feng Feng) and the Department of Asia-Africa and International Organizations (Dr. Yongtao Zhang) from NSFC were attended this workshop. Dr. Shuying Leng, Director of the Department of Geography, NSFC, and her team co-organized this workshop. Drs. Yongguan Zhu, Shen Yu, and Shenghui Cui from KLUEH, CAS participated in this workshop and gave speeches.

Group photo of Invited Experts