Prof. XU Guanhua, a CAS Member and the chairman of both the RADI Academic Committee and the academic committee of the newly established Provincial Key Laboratory of Earth Observation in Hainan, was invited to talk about global change and sustainable development at the RADI Sanya Research Center in South China’s Hainan Province on December 14, 2014.

Starting from the evolution of the Earth and human beings, Prof. Xu elaborated upon the new challenges facing today’s world in his 2-hour-long talk with observations about some of the phenomenon (extended phenological period, melting glaciers, rising sea levels etc) caused by global change, and extreme climate events encountered by China in particular.

He made an in-depth analysis into the five assessment reports of IPCC from 1990 to 2013, stressing the gradual development of our understanding of the causes underlying global change. He stressed principles to cope with global change: having our feet firmly planted on social development and S&T progress in particular; and giving full consideration to the scenario of globalization and the idea of sustainable development. Therefore, to address global change, he said, we should properly address the relationship between global change and sustainable development, and give equal importance to emissions reduction and carbon sink increase, and also to global warming mitigation and its adaption. At the same time, scientific research and international cooperation should be promoted so as to reduce the uncertainty of science knowledge regarding global change.

Furthermore, Prof. Xu put forward specific suggestions for international collaboration, advocating multi-factor, interdisciplinary and joint research across the world, integrated platform for the studies of global change and sustainable development, and a global data sharing system with public support, including a network of field stations for super-observation (monitoring) of global change, a data-sharing platform for Earth observation and a platform for comprehensive simulation of the Earth system.

Against the background of global change, he emphasized, efforts should be made to facilitate the changes in energy mix strategy, eco-environment, people’s production and lifestyle, and the progress toward a harmonious society.

His enlightening report gave a comprehensive review of the relationship between global change and human activities and people’s deepening understanding of nature, and elaborated the ways to cope with the challenges and opportunities brought about by global change.

Prof. XU Guanhua delivers a lecture.