COM-FSM Staff attends the 2024 Seminar on Climate Disaster Risks and Marine Environmental Protection in China

Vice President of Cooperative Research and Extension (CRE) Steven Young-Uhk, Yap CRE Coordinator Viviancella Ken, and IT Consultant Dhiraj Bhartu recently participated in the "2024 Seminar on Climate Disaster Risks and Marine Environmental Protection" held in Qingdao, China, from September 2 to 13.

The seminar brought participants from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, the Maldives, and Cuba attending 13 academic sessions, visits to research institutions, and cultural experiences during the training program as well as discussing the challenges posed by climate change, marine environmental protection, and sustainable development.

Throughout the 12-day program, COM-FSM representatives engaged in various activities, including visits to research institutes, lectures on climate adaptation, and discussions on sustainable development goals. Highlights included insights from Chinese marine spatial planning strategies, advancements in climate system prediction, and innovative green finance approaches. The seminar provided a platform for collaboration between COM-FSM and Chinese institutions, especially in marine biology, fisheries, and low-carbon development.

The knowledge gained will directly influence COM-FSM’s educational and operational strategies. It will foster research and community outreach efforts to mitigate climate risks and promote sustainable development in the Pacific. This experience will bolster COM-FSM’s role as a regional leader in addressing climate change challenges.