Professor Shahbaz Khan, Representative of UNESCO, Visited the International Research Center on Karst

On August 3-4, Professor Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Beijing Office, Representative to China, DPPK, Japan, Mongolia and POK, and his delegation visited the International Research Centre on Karst (IRCK).Discussion and investigation were conducted on the assessment of IRCK in the second six-year and the management and protection work of Guilin World Natural Heritage Site. Mr. Peng Xuanming, Director of IRCK and Mr. Qin Rongjun, Deputy Director of the Lijiang River Tourist Attraction Administrative Committee were present at the site.
      Director Peng Xuanming warmly welcomed Professor Shahbaz Khan and briefly introduced the progress of IRCK in supporting and serving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development since its establishment in the areas of karst and climate change, karst water resources and water security, karst rocky desertification and eco-industry, karst geoheritage diversity protection and sustainable utilization, karst geohazards prevention and early warning. Then, Cao Jianhua, Executive Deputy Director of IRCK, introduced the outcomes in the second six-year of IRCK and the development plan for the next eight years in detail. Tang Jianwei, Deputy Director of the Division of Development of the Lijiang River Tourist Attraction Administrative Committee, introduced the protection and management work of Guilin Karst World Natural Heritage Site. Professor Shahbaz Khan highly recognized and praised the contribution of IRCK and the Lijiang River Tourist Attraction Administrative Committee in supporting and serving the sustainable development of the karstic areas, and recognized the role of the IRCK in supporting local government applications for UNESCO Global Geoparks and World Natural Heritage Sites and in promoting leapfrog development of the local economy. In view of the development plan of IRCK for the next eight years, Professor Shahbaz Khanput forward three suggestions: first, vigorously develop and promote global karst scientific research; second, establish an international karst data platform; third, carry out international cooperation in early warning and prevention of geological disasters.
      After seminar, Professor Shahbaz Khan visited the China Museum of Karst Geology, the base of the IRCK and the R&D and demonstration projects of key technologies on sustainable use of karst landscape resources in the Lijiang River basin, as well as the core area of the Guilin Karst World Natural Heritage Site. Through two days of exchanges and investigation, Professor Shahbaz Khan gained a deeper understanding of IRCK and the Guilin Karst World Natural Heritage Site.He emphasized that UNESCO will cooperate with IRCK and the Lijiang River Tourist Attraction Administrative Committee in the sustainable development of karst areas.