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The China-China Climate Change and Rural Revitalization 2024 Forum and "Global Challenges Plan-China Joint Research on Climate Change" was successfully held in Bulgaria

From August 21 to August 29,2024, with the support of the Global Challenge Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Shanghai "Belt and Road" China-Bulgaria Rural ecosystem International joint Laboratory of Climate change Adaptivity governance (hereinafter referred to as the joint laboratory), 15 teachers and students conducted a week-long survey on the rural areas of Samokov city, Bulgaria. Subsequently they released the Bulgarian Rural Climate Risk Assessment Report.

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The 2024 China-China Forum on Climate Change and Rural Revitalization

The event was jointly organized by the Joint Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the National University of World Economics, Sofia Agricultural Economics Research Institute and the Plovdiv Agricultural University. Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to the Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture Lozana Vasileva, Professor Violeta Bozhanova, President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Dimitar Dimitrov, President of the Bulgarian University of National Economics and World Economics, Professor Boryana Ivanova, President of Plovdiv Agricultural University, Professor Che Shengquan, Chinese Director of the Joint Laboratory, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Professor Hrabrin Bachev, Director of the Protection of the Joint Laboratory, Professor Paskal Zhelev, head of Sofia Branch of Bulgaria Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, attended the meeting. More than 50 experts, scholars and relevant leaders, including Associate Professor Wang Ling, Associate researcher Gu Xiaokun of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Hao Jie from the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, attended the forum and had in-depth discussions on rural revitalization in China and Bulgaria, climate adaptation governance in rural areas, and the cooperation and development between China and Bulgaria. The opening ceremony of the meeting was chaired by Professor Paskal Zhelev, head of Sofia Branch of Bulgarian Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.   

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National World Economy University President professor Dimitar Dimitrov spoke on behalf of both teachers and students in Bulgaria to thank the joint research. He reviewed the cooperation in the field of climate change, highly appreciated in joint research and education, and expressed his hope that both sides continue to deepen cooperation, and make greater contributions in the fields of global sustainable development.

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Chinese ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli thanked the participants, and highly affirmed the benefit  of the research in the field of climate change and sustainable development and governance. She expressed that Bulgaria unique in the field of agriculture, boasts features and advantages, and that cooperation on Bulgaria rural sustainable development has good support. She encouraged Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Bulgarian institutions continue to conduct extensive cooperation in agriculture, and to realize more technical achievements.

​Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture Lozana Vasileva pointed out that climate change is now a huge threat to Bulgarian agriculture and rural areas, and said that research institutions, managers and agricultural production personnel should all have the knowledge and skills to deal with climate change risks. She highly recognized the close cooperation and research results between China and Bulgaria, and hoped that the cooperation would not only help to mitigate climate change, but also ensure that rural communities are better prepared to meet the challenges.

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Professor Violeta Bozhanova, President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Professor Boryana Ivanova, President of Plovdiv University, both said that the risk of climate change and response need the cooperation of various research institutions, and expressed appreciation for the cooperation between China and Bulgaria in the field of climate change. He also believes that the joint laboratory has played an important role in deepening the bilateral cooperation. The success of this forum is a model of international cooperation in the field of climate change, and we looked forward to the continuous and in-depth promotion of the bilateral cooperation and research.

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​Joint laboratory, director of the Chinese professor, director of the professor Hrabrin Bachev reviewed the joint laboratory in rural climate adaptive governance research process, reported on joint research in the past few years, including the Bulgarian rural climate risk assessment report, monographs, patents and software copyrights, as well as the "global challenge plan," in addition to joint research.

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Later, Professor Che Shengquan and Professor Hrabrin Bachev, on behalf of the joint laboratory, released the Bulgarian Rural Climate Risk Assessment Report in Bulgaria in the presence of Chinese Ambassador Dai Qingli, Vice Minister of Food and Agriculture Lozana Vasileva, and other experts and scholars. Lozana Vasileva on behalf of the Bulgarian Ministry of Food and Agriculture, received the Bulgarian Rural Climate Risk Assessment Report submitted by the joint laboratory.

​The "Global Challenge Programme-China Climate Change Assessment and Adaptability Program" results exhibition

At the exhibition of "Global Challenge Plan-China-Bulgaria Rural Climate Change Assessment and Adaptability Planning", Ambassador Dai Qingli met with some of the members of the project team, listened to the introduction of the teams’ recent research process in Bulgaria, and went over the research results. She highly appreciated the global vision and social responsibility of the teachers and students of Jiao Tong University, and hoped that more Chinese researchers would come to Bulgaria to conduct joint research.

​In an interview with Bulgarian National Agricultural SATELLITE TV at the exhibition, He pointed out that rural Bulgaria is currently at obvious risk of climate change, pointing out frequent wildfires and reduced rainfall and snowfall. In the survey of Samokov city, the project team further understood and evaluated the impact of climate change on rural Bulgaria through environmental research and interviews, and then proposed the Bulgarian rural climate adaptation planning strategy to improve the resilience of local villages to climate change. It is believed that China and Bulgaria will carry out more forums and more in-depth joint research in the future.

​Photo of the exhibition site

Sharing and exchange of research results

Professor Bozhidar Ivanov, Dean of Sofia Institute of Agricultural Economics, Professor Svetlana Alexandrova and Associate Professor Yanka Kazakova of the National University of World Economics, Assistant Professor Dobri Dunchev of Plovdiv University, Associate Professor Wang Ling and Associate researcher Gu Xiaokun of Shanghai Jiao Tong University respectively shared and discussed their respective research achievements in the field of rural climate change and sustainable development. Yu Wenjie and Zhu Yinlin, members of the project team and graduate students of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Dilyana Boyadzhieva, a graduate student jointly trained by the National University of World Economics, reported the results of the joint research as representatives.

​In the following rural climate adaptability technology exchange and training session, Associate Professor Wang Ling, on behalf of the joint laboratory, conducted climate adaptability technology exchange and training for relevant technologies and researchers from both China and Bulgaria. The training covers the establishment of climate change and risk database, climate change prediction and risk assessment methods, rural climate change vulnerability assessment methods, and the research framework for rural climate change adaptation planning.

Hao Jie from the International Cooperation and Exchange Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University introduced the outstanding achievements and future development of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in areas of education, scientific research, international exchange and cooperation, campus life, and warmly interacted with Bulgarian students and welcomed Bulgarian students to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for exchange and study.

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Finally, the two parties discussed future research and cooperation to take place through the joint laboratory. On behalf of the laboratory, Professor Che Shengquan presented the appointment of Professor Boryana Ivanova, President of Plovdiv Agricultural University.

In addition, Professor Yanko Hristozov, Vice President of Bulgarian National University of Economics and World Economy, Professor Boryana Ivanova, President of Plovdiv Agricultural University, Professor Svetla Yancheva, Secretary General of Institutional Cooperation and Exchange Department (former Vice Minister of Food and Agriculture), He Jie, First Secretary of Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, Ning Yongpeng, Second Secretary of China Embassy and other guests attended the event.

It is reported that the "China-Bulgaria International Joint Laboratory for Adaptive Governance of Rural Ecosystem" focuses on rural ecosystem governance under the context of climate change, providing a cooperation platform for the two countries to meet the challenges of human social development through scientific and technological innovation, and laying a foundation for the deepening of scientific research cooperation between the two countries. The teachers and students of the School of Design of Shanghai Jiao Tong University will also continue to contribute to the "Belt and Road" international cooperation, climate adaptation planning, rural ecology and other aspects.

The China-China Climate Change and Rural Revitalization 2024 Forum and "Global Challenges Plan-China Joint Research on Climate Change" was successfully held in Bulgaria

From August 21 to August 29,2024, with the support of the Global Challenge Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Shanghai "Belt and Road" China-Bulgaria Rural ecosystem International joint Laboratory of Climate change Adaptivity governance (hereinafter referred to as the joint laboratory), 15 teachers and students conducted a week-long survey on the rural areas of Samokov city, Bulgaria. Subsequently they released the Bulgarian Rural Climate Risk Assessment Report.

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