International experts gathered to share and coordinate to respond to the global environmental crisis

On 22 May 2021, the International Biodiversity Day, the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) and the BGI Group successfully held the 16th International Congress on Genomics (ICG-16), “A Community of Shared Life: Rebuild in a Global Environmental Crisis” with the theme of “We Are Part of The Solution”. More than 18,000 people participated online.

This symposium serves as a warm-up for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). It showcases the importance of biodiversity to sustaining the planet's health from multiple dimensions and highlights synergies in areas including biodiversity, public health, climate change and food systems.

Guests attending the conference  Source: CBCGDF International Department

Professor Frederick C. Dubee, an old friend and international expert of CBCGDF, former senior officer at the Executive Office the United Nations Secretary General was the moderator of this symposium. He has visited China several times and has been heavily involved in academic exchange activities as well as the establishment of global sustainable development projects. Prof. Fred expressed his gratitude to the experts from both home and abroad who were attending the conference, emphasising that it would be a worthwhile journey of "thinking collision" and "learning from each other."

Professor Fred chaired the meeting in Finland      Source: CBCGDF International Department

Subsequently, Mr. John Scanlon, former Secretary General of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), addressed the inaugural ceremony with a congratulatory speech. Mr. John spoke on the harm that the illegal trade in wildlife causes to human and social health as well as the extinction of animal species and the spread of diseases caused by the illegal trade. Later, John stated that he had witnessed Chinese government and NGOs' commitment to this cause and had made significant contributions to the fight against illegal wildlife trading.

John made an opening speech    Source: CBCGDF International Department

Mr. Erik Solheim, former executive director of UNEP, chairman of the Green Belt and Road Institute and senior advisor of the World Resources Institute, then delivered an opening statement. China's great rivers and mountains, he remarked, have established a solid basis for the CBD COP15. He anticipated the COP will assist global environmental governance in taking a significant stride forward and strengthening global environmental cooperation.

Erik made an opening speech  Source: CBCGDF International Department

Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, vice president and secretary general of CBCCGDFl, on behalf of Hu Deping and Xie Boyang, expressed his greetings and thanks to the participants. "Today is United Nations Biodiversity Day, it's our day." Dr Zhou discussed the global climate change crisis facing mankind, the accomplishment of the "carbon neutral" goal in this context, and the linkage between "carbon neutral" and "biodiversity."

     Zhou Jinfeng said the climate crisis has fundamentally changed the entire ecosystem of the planet, affecting and leading to a biodiversity crisis on the planet. Currently, the synergistic effect of diverse conventions needs to be boosted, and they should complement rather than compete with one another. Despite the fact that nature has a lot of room and capability for self-recovery, Dr. Zhou emphasises the importance of Human-based Solutions, or Hb-S.

Dr. Zhou introduced the relationship between green development and biodiversity conservation, and HBS

   Source: CBCGDF International Department

Professor Zhang Wenhong, leader of Shanghai COVID-19 medical expert group and director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, also attended the meeting and analyzed the various challenges and ways that human beings have faced in living with the virus and nature since the outbreak of COVID-19. People in the agricultural civilization period, according to Professor Zhang Wenhong, knew very little about pandemics.  After the industrial civilization, with the migration of ethnic groups, the emergence of towns and the exchange of species, people and nature grew closer, and all the microorganisms living in urban areas gradually entered the human body. As a result, pandemics will be a part of our lives for a long time, and we must be prepared.

Report: Biodiversity and the challenge of infectious diseases

Source: CBCGDF International Department

Blue parts are the only known viruses that humans have detected so far

Source: CBCGDF International Department 

"Tracking the temperature and carbon dioxide concentration, we can discern a considerable change between the carbon dioxide emissions 460,000 years ago and now," said Dr. Ari Patrinos, a world-renowned expert in synthetic biology and former head of the Human Genome Project. Dr. Ari aims to convey a more comprehensive understanding of the approaching climate issue by using a graphic representation of climate change.

Dr. Ari emphasised the importance of reducing our reliance on energy and fossi ASAP.   Source: CBCGDF International Department

 Professor Tilahun Yilma, an Ethiopian-born microbiologist and immunologist at the University of California, underlined the grave concerns that the population growth poses to society, safety, health, and rights in his homeland. According to Yilma, the lack of population control regulations in many parts of Africa has led to newborns living on the streets. Enforcement is a safe and effective solution to several pressing issues, including food shortages and virus outbreaks. Higher living standards and education, on the other hand, are what ultimately limit fertility. Finally, he excitedly praised China's recent support for Africa, including disease control, the distribution of vaccines, and the elimination of negative images of Africa in the media.

"Development will not deliver food security unless it puts people first," Professor Yilma cites a UNDP official as stating.

Source: CBCGDF International Department

 Following that, Dr Alice Hughes, deputy secretary-general of CBCGDF, discussed tropical Asia's vegetation and biodiversity threats. a. There is a massive loss of forests, rainforest plants and animals that live in them, and these losses are all linked to how we use our environment.

Loss of biodiversity in tropical Asia, human use of resource sources more than Earth's renewable resources

Source: CBCGDF International Department

 Later, two experts from other fields expressed their thoughts on the experts' presentation and compared the crisis remedies to their personal experiences. He Dixin, principal of the China Foundation Middle School, says more investment in education is needed so that the next generation can be part of the solution. Chen Qiufan, a famous science fiction writer, stated he wished to express similar ideas in his future works to encourage more people to participate in environmental protection.

Mr. He Dixin and Mr. Chen Qiufan expressed their impressions

Source: CBCGDF International Department

 After the sharing, Professor Zhang Wenhong, Professor Yilma and other experts posed real-time questions to the audience "What can we do after vaccination?" and "How do you view China's family planning and food security issues?" Other questions are also addressed in depth. For more details, please click the following link: http://live.baidu.com/m/media/pclive/pchome/live.html?room_id=4432874337&source=h5pre

 Please keep an eye on CBCGDF Media for any further content or reports offered by guests.

Written by: JH    

Editor: Stan   

Translator: Syying

Chinese original article: http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4936/15985.html 

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