The 2023 China Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change (China Report) was recently launched in Beijing. This report was authored by 76 experts from 26 major institutions both domestically and internationally, led by the Lancet Countdown Regional Centre for Asia based in the Department of Earth System Science at Tsinghua University. The Vice President of Tsinghua University, Zeng Rong, delivered an online speech at the launch. Gong Peng, Co-Chair of the Lancet Countdown and Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, and Helena Wang, Senior Executive Editor for The Lancet in Asia, attended and addressed the event in person.
Zeng Rong stated that the Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University, leading top institutions both in China and abroad, compiled and published the China Report. This report provides valuable ideas for supporting the construction of "Healthy China" and "Beautiful China" and promoting ecological civilization, as well as offering a Chinese perspective and solutions to the global climate crisis and improving public health.
Gong Peng reviewed the development history of the Global report of the Lancet Countdown and the China report over more than ten years. He emphasized the importance of both international and domestic cooperation. Convenient online communication methods have further promoted collaboration across departments, units, and schools, while also nurturing a large number of young scholars, which is a significant experience.
Helena Wang recounted The Lancet's history of focusing on climate change issues and its collaboration experiences with Chinese teams. She acknowledged the academic achievements of the Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University and the Lancet Countdown Regional Centre for Asia, and conveyed her hope that the issues of climate change and health will receive increasing attention. She also urged more platforms and talents to join and promote these topics.
Zhang Shihui, postdoctoral researcher the Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University, interpreted the key findings of the China Report as well as the implications of Global Report to Asia at the launch event.
Luo Yong, Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University, stated in his summary speech that the department will continue to support the Countdown report authors in their further work. He anticipates that the report will enhance the public's ability to prevent extreme climate events and scientific knowledge reserves, strengthen the society's capacity to address health risks posed by climate change, and establish the concept that everyone is primarily responsible for their health, collectively striving for a win-win future for climate change and public health.
After the report release, a panel discussion was held. Participants included Yong Luo, Minghui Ren, former Assistant Director-General of the WHO and Professor at Peking University, Qingliang Zhou, Chair of the Co-Services Group for Region II of the World Meteorological Organization and Director of Operations at the World Meteorological Centre (Beijing), Yichun Yu, an emergency doctor at Beijing Hospital, Fanchao Diao, principal of The Paper's "Tipping Point", and Suqin Han, Director of the Tianjin Environmental Meteorological Center. They discussed global governance issues related to climate change and public health, as well as innovative measures for dealing with health risks from climate change, answering questions from the audience. The panel discussion was co-hosted by Helena Wang and Wenjia Cai, a professor Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University and head of the Lancet Countdown Regional Centre for Asia.
Editor: Li Han
