The launching ceremony of the Beijing Office of Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX) and bilateral workshop on PEEX were held at RADI on May 19, marking the formal operation of the Office at the CAS institute.

More than 20 senior officials and scientists were present at the ceremony, including Prof. Markku Kulmala from University of Helsinki, Prof. HE Changchui, Secretary-General of China Science Centre of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Prof. PENG Gongbing, Member of the Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Prof. GUO Huadong, Director-general of RADI, and Ms. Laura Rajaniemi from Finnish Embassy in China.

PEEX is an important international platform for cooperative studies of climate change in Pan-Eurasian region, and the establishment of its Office in Beijing is significant, said Prof. Guo at the launching ceremony. Prof. Kulmala, one of the major PEEX initiators, briefed the audience on the background, research activities, contributing institutes of the program and its organization framework, stressing that PEEX was aimed at addressing research difficulties and challenges of global change facing the Pan-Eurasian region.

After the inauguration, Prof. Guo hosted a ceremony to present RADI honorary professorship to Prof. Kulmala in recognition of his outstanding achievements in atmospheric science and global change.

At the following workshop, Chinese and Finish researchers, including ZHANG Jiahua from RADI, JIANG Dabang from the CAS Institute of Atmospheric Physics, and Tuukka Petäjä and Veli-Matti Kerminen from University of Helsinki, showed research progress of the two countries in global change studies and observation. Then the two sides held discussions on a detailed plan for bilateral cooperation and operation mechanism of PEEX Beijing Office. They reached a consensus that the Office will play an important role in promoting PEEX Program and multilateral collaboration and exchanges.

Initiated by several European, Russian and Chinese research organizations and institutes, PEEX is a multidisciplinary research infrastructure program. Its overall goal is to: solve interlinked global challenges like climate change, air quality, biodiversity loss, chemicalisation, food supply, energy production and fresh water in integrative way recognizing the increasing role of the arctic and northern boreal forests in the context of global change.

As a coordinator of PEEX in Beijing, the Office will facilitate the implementation of the program in China and neighboring countries and regions, so as to promote substantial bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The launching ceremony of PEEX Beijing Office.

A scene from the workshop.

Prof. GUO Huadong presents RADI honorary professorship to Prof. Kulmala.