HIT Media (Text: Wang Chenyang, Wei Liangliang; Photos: School of Environment)
The Mayors' Forum of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held on Aug 21 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Professor Wei Liangliang of the School of Environment at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) was invited to attend the COP17 Mayors' Forum and delivered a keynote presentation at a parallel session, making HIT the only university with a speaker at the forum.
The COP17 Mayors' Forum is held. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Wei Liangliang delivers a keynote presentation. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
The forum, one of the major events of COP17, focused on land degradation, drought, water scarcity, and sustainable urban development, bringing together more than 100 mayors, representatives of international organizations, and researchers to explore practical approaches to strengthening urban ecological resilience and promoting sustainable development in the context of climate change.
In the parallel session, Wei delivered a keynote presentation titled Utilization and Regeneration of Urban Water in Arid Regions, which addressed the complex challenges facing cities in arid and semi-arid regions, including water scarcity, stormwater and flood risks, and ecological and environmental pressures.
His presentation introduced China's approaches, technical solutions, and practical experience in sponge city development, the use of reclaimed water, and stormwater management, with particular emphasis on representative HIT cases – projects carried out by Academician Ren Nanqi's team – in sponge city development and implementation.
Participants praised the presentation, including Anton Earle, global coordinator of Water Systems at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
At the invitation of the UNESCO Office in Mongolia, Wei gave an invited presentation titled Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Water Resilience. He also held in-depth discussions with experts and researchers from Germany and Mongolia, as well as with representatives of several international organizations.
Wei Liangliang delivers an invited presentation. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Edited by: Shang Yankai
Reviewed by: Song Ling, Li Shoubin, Yang Wenyu