Global cooperation urged on disasters

In the face of escalating natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, global experts convened at the 2nd International Conference on Climate Change and Disaster Risk in Beijing, urging strengthened international collaboration. The conference highlighted the urgent need for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and technological innovation to address increasingly severe and complex disaster scenarios. Philippe Gourbesville, President of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research, emphasized the cascading effects of emerging risks, which often lead to interconnected disasters threatening human safety and infrastructure. He called for enhanced observation systems, including comprehensive sensor networks in vulnerable regions, and the revision of engineering practices to adapt to new challenges. Martin Manuhwa, Chair of the Committee on Engineering Capacity Building at the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, echoed these sentiments, stressing the critical role of engineering in geoscience to ensure the resilience of buildings and transport networks. He also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence in disaster classification and identification, while noting the persistent challenges posed by the unpredictability of extreme events. Manuhwa underscored the need for collaboration, particularly under the Belt and Road Initiative, to address the lack of disaster preparedness in Africa and other developing regions. Wang Fawu, a professor at Tongji University and UNESCO Chairholder on Geoenvironmental Disaster Reduction, emphasized the importance of public education in disaster prevention, enabling communities to respond effectively to early warnings. Anne-Sophie Stevance of the International Science Council highlighted the necessity of learning from diverse regional contexts to build a robust global knowledge base. The conference concluded with a unified call for multidisciplinary, cross-boundary cooperation to mitigate the growing risks posed by climate-driven disasters.