The 2018 Climate and Health Communication Symposium took place at Guangxi University on Oct 20 and 21, attracting more than 110 representatives from universities, research institutions, government sectors and social organizations.

The 2018 Climate and Health Communication Symposium provides a platform for people to have in-depth exchanges and collaborate on climate issues. [Photo by Huang Jiasai, Ma Jingnan and Lyu Shuwang/gxu.edu.cn]

Co-sponsored by the China Climate Communication Project Center, Guangxi University's News and Communication College and the Climate and Health Communication Research Center, the symposium targets the fusion of climate and health communication, aiming to build a more beautiful and livable China.

Gan Yi, vice-minister of the regional Party committee publicity department, noted that this year marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up in China and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Over the past few years, Guangxi has made great contributions to promoting the region's ecological civilization construction. Through years of efforts, the well-preserved ecological environment has become the region's gold-lettered signboard, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from home and abroad to admire the original beauty of Guangxi.

Gan Yi, vice-minister of the Party Committee Publicity Department of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, makes a keynote speech. [Photo by Huang Jiasai, Ma Jingnan and Lyu Shuwang/gxu.edu.cn]

Zheng Baowei, director of the China Climate Communication Project Center, addressed the symposium on how communications between climate and health should be integrated, as well as the construction of "Beautiful China" and "Healthy China".

Belgian Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, the former vice-president of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), made a special report on global climate change, noting that in order to protect the environment, countries and regions should further advance energy conservation and emission reduction and reach an agreement on dealing with climate change.

Professor Zheng made a summary of the meeting. He spoke highly of the symposium and declared that the popularity and practice of climate and health communication will help to boost the construction of a better ecological environment.

As agreed by representatives, the symposium will take place every year. The second session will be organized by the South-central University for Nationalities in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.

Representatives air their views on climate and health communication in a new epoch and new environment. [Photo by Huang Jiasai, Ma Jingnan and Lyu Shuwang/gxu.edu.cn]