International symposium held in Xi'an

The International Symposium on Climate and Environmental Change and Civilization Evolution along the Silk Road was held on May 25 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and attracted more than 60 experts and scholars from around the world.

Hosted by the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, the symposium focused on climate and environmental change research from a global perspective. This is significant in revealing the evolution of human civilization and addressing future climate change risks.

Before the symposium, Academician An Zhisheng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discussed international issues with Professor James G.Ogg of Purdue University, Professor Ashish Sinha of California State University, and Professor Francisco W.Cruz from the University of São Paulo.

Experts and scholars shared the latest scientific research achievements and discussed issues such as the evolution of the Silk Road landscape, new methods for reconstructing ancient climates, interpreting archaeological site environments, early agricultural and animal husbandry diffusion pathways, extreme climate events, and social changes.

The symposium accelerated research progress on scientific issues, including climate, environment, and civilization evolution along the Silk Road region. It promoted the interdisciplinary integration of earth science, history, and archaeology and expanded the scientific research cooperation network, injecting new impetus into scientific research and civilization exchanges under the "Belt and Road Initiative".