Representatives from the Third Pole Environment (TPE) and the Arctic Circle organization held a joint seminar in Beijing on Dec. 6 to discuss extending their already fruitful cooperation. During the session, Mr. ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, chairman of Arctic Circle and former president of Iceland and Prof. YAO Tandong, co-chair of Third Pole Environment (TPE) discussed the need to connect glacier-related research in the Third Pole region and the Arctic as well as potential collaboration in 2020 and 2021.

 

Mr. ólafur Ragnar Grímsson noted that the Third Pole region and the Arctic are more vulnerable to environmental change than the Antarctic since they are populated. TPE and Arctic Circle thus need to work closer with each other to address the urgent matter of global warming – both for the benefit of the people in the TPE region and the Arctic, but above all to help the whole world. To achieve this goal, Mr. ólafur Ragnar Grímsson invited TPE to participate in a series of Arctic Circle workshops and assemblies planned for 2020 and 2021.

 

 

Mr. ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former President of Iceland and founder of the Arctic Circle, speaking at the seminar

 

Prof. YAO Tandong, co-chair of TPE, agreed with Grímsson. As a renowned glaciologist, YAO has always viewed ice and glacier research as fundamental, and international attention to such research as important. YAO has spent years advancing glacier studies as well as international research collaboration in the Third Pole region and beyond. He said TPE was glad to further bilateral cooperation and would contribute its own ideas and effort to Arctic Circle events in order to improve policymaking and conservation strategies. 

 

 

Prof. YAO Tandong, co-chair of TPE, speaking at the seminar

 

Deputy Director General WANG Zhenyu from the Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Sciences said the collaboration between TPE and the Arctic Circle was essential and promised strong support from Chinese Academy of Sciences for this endeavor. 

 

 

Deputy Director General WANG Zhenyu from the Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Sciences sharing his ideas at the seminar

 

 

TPE-Arctic Circle Seminar in Beijing