China-Australia symposium

Towards Sustainable Coastal and Deltaic Systems under Climate Change

Guangzhou and Xiamen, China – 13-15 October 2009

Australia–China symposium

The Academy and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research organised the Australia-China Symposium on Sustainable Coastal and Deltaic Systems in China on 14 and 15 October. This symposium is the sixth in a series of high-level annual symposia to be conducted with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The Australian delegation was led by the Academy’s President, Professor Kurt Lambeck, and ATSE Vice-President, Mr Peter Laver.

The symposium was divided into five workshops which were each co-convened by an Australian and a Chinese participant. The subjects of the workshops were:

  • sustainable land use
  • sustainable coastal wetland ecosystems
  • environmental pollution and public health
  • sustainable marine use
  • coastal management and observation

All identified a range of prospective future collaborative activities. In addition to bringing together leading scientists from both economies to increase research
linkages and strategic partnerships formed through participation, these symposia have
provided a valuable avenue for the training and exchange of young scientists, and the
sharing of expertise and facilities between the two countries.

The symposium was coupled with pre- and post-event site visits to institutions
including the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, South China Botanical
Gardens and the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry.

The next Australia-China symposium will be held in Australia in 2010. For more

information on the Academy’s international activities visit
science.org.au/internat/