To serve China’s national sustainable development strategy, the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) has formed a new international scientific advisory committee. Water Institute executive director professor Roy Brouwer is one of two Canadians appointed to the committee of 40 advisors. John Cherry, distinguished emeritus professor at the University of Waterloo, joins him as the other Canadian representative and is the co-chair of the water sub-committee. Other international experts are from the US, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Named the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences - International Scientific Advisory Committee (CRAES-ISAC), its domestic and international experts will liaise with CRAES to advise on research activities that address China’s priority environmental issues, such as the restoration of the Yangtze River, and broader issues related to water, air, soil, ecology, cleaner production and a circular economy.
The CRAES-ISAC, sanctioned by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, had its inaugural meeting November 15 and 16 in Beijing where CRAES’ vice-president professor Song Yonghui announced that it will serve as “…a high-level international scientific advisory body consisting of well-known experts from China and abroad in the field of ecology and environment.”
Brouwer appointment advances Water Institute-CRAES MoU
CRAES, the largest non-profit multidisciplinary research institution of environmental sciences in China, has been a long-standing partner of the Water Institute. Since 2015, faculty member visits and joint workshops have helped identify common, often interdisciplinary, areas of interest, such as lake eutrophication, groundwater management and remediation, and the benefits of a circular economy, resulting in the signing of a 2017 Water Institute-CRAES memorandum of understanding (MoU). In addition to Brouwer’s new CRAES-ISAC role, current and future joint research projects, faculty workshops, and student exchanges will continue to forge productive cross-institutional knowledge and resource sharing. The Water Institute will host the 3rd Sino-Canada Water Environment workshop in Waterloo in 2019.
Read more about Water Institute-CRAES collaborations
China: Collaboration for water security
Water Institute signs Memorandum of Understanding with CRAES to advance research in water management