Gathering Experts and Wisdom for Stepover Development of Xinjiang: The Third International Symposium on Eco-hydrological Processes in Arid Areas and Environmental Development Held in Xinjiang

　　 On June 26, 2010, the Third International Symposium on Eco-hydrological Processes in Arid Areas and Environmental Development was held in Urumqi of Xinjiang. Famous scholars, including two academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 researchers from USA, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Australia and the experts from China attended the symposium. The symposium discussed the important scientific issues faced by the social and economic development of Xinjiang, including global climate impact on water resources, eco-hydrological process of inland river basin, restoration and reconstruction of damaged ecosystems.

This symposium was sponsored by the National Science Fund Committee and Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and hosted by Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology and Desert Environment, XIEG, CAS, the Tianshan Mountains Glacier Station of CAS and the Tarim River Bureau. The experts will carry out the field survey to Tianshan Mountain Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tarim River and the Kaidu-Peacock River and bring forward some countermeasures of sustainable utilization of water resources and environmental protection of ecologically fragile region to cope with global climate change in arid areas of Xinjiang.

Many high-level specialists attended the symposium, which indicates the deeply concern by international community and academia to the step-over development of Xinjiang’s economy. This symposium is not only a high-level discussion to the core issues of ecology and environment in Xinjiang, but also an important action of “Supporting Xinjiang with Science and Technology”. It is also an important way for the centralizing the wisdom and intellects for “the stepover development of Xinjiang’s economy”.