China Committee for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR CHINA) held the Annual Academic Conference and the International Roundtable Meeting on integrated disaster reduction in the Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province on June 3, 2015. Nearly 50 Chinese delegates from China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and other related institutions and universities, attended the events, along with over 30 foreign experts from such institutions as the International Council for Science, IRDR Science Committee, IRDR National Committees, CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation, University of Washington, the US, and Massey University of New Zealand.

On the morning of June 3, IRDR CHINA 2015 Annual Academic Conference kicked off. Guo Huadong, Chairman of IRDR CHINA and Director of RADI, presided over the conference. He introduced that the purpose of the conference was to advance the implementation of IRDR in China, strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation and academic exchanges in this regard at home and abroad, push forward the work of IRDR CHINA working groups in key fields, and promote the building of the science and technology think tank for IRDR.

Wang Qinglin, an official from CAST, pointed out in his speech that IRDR CHINA should continue drawing on international experience, contribute to the building of the science and technology think tank for China’s disaster mitigation efforts, and serve key national strategies such as the “One Belt, One Road” Initiative. Zhou Yunfan, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation Bureau of CASS, said that IRDR CHINA has provided a good platform for Chinese social science experts to participate in international disaster reduction initiatives and such cooperation across social sciences and natural sciences will contribute new guiding theory for international research on disaster reduction.

The conference discussed such topics as the development of IRDR CHINA’s key fields including earthquakes and geological disasters, floods and droughts, storm disasters, disaster risks brought by climate change, and urban disasters, the working mechanisms of IRDR CHINA’s six working groups, the interaction and cooperation with IRDR International working groups, the building of the science and technology think tank for IRDR, as well as recommendations and services for key national strategies such as the “One Belt, One Road”.

At the conference, IRDR CHINA said it would focus on the core area of integrated research on disaster risks in the “One Belt, One Road” initiative and advance the building of the think tank to provide useful information for the country’s disaster reduction policies and decisions; further strengthen talent building, cement the connection with IRDR International working groups, and make new contributions to the development of IRDR.

On the afternoon, the International Roundtable Meeting on integrated disaster reduction was held, which was co-hosted by Academician Guo Huadong and David Johnston, Chair of IRDR Scientific Committee. Experts in attendance listened to the reports made by Prof. Sálvano Briceño, former Director of UNISDR, Prof. Susan Cutter, head of IRDR Data Working Group, Prof. David Smith of IRDR FORIN Working Group, and six key field working groups of IRDR CHINA.

Afterwards, delegates at the meeting made discussions on the building of the science and technology think tank for IRDR, disaster research data sharing and big data platform building, interaction between social sciences and natural sciences in integrated research on disaster risk, disaster system complexities and comprehensive disaster risk prevention measures, as well as research cooperation and exchanges between IRDR China and other IRDR National Committees. David Johnston praised the outstanding work of Chinese experts in integrated research on disaster risk, and said that IRDR Scientific Committee would push forward the cooperation between IRDR National Committees so that they could work together to mitigate the impacts of disasters, improve the decision-making mechanism, and advance the development of IRDR.

Group photo of IRDR CHINA 2015 Annual Academic Conference.

A scene of the IRDR CHINA Roundtable Meeting.