On August 11 to 17, 2018, research team "climate change and water of southeast Asian nations" went to Laos with 8 people, assisting in the "Southeast Asia land cover/land use change and water - energy - food nexus" international conference, and carried out the "climate change and water of southeast Asian nations" subject research work. Participants including Prof. Qingyun Duan from institute of geographical science and resources of Beijing Normal University, Prof. Junguo Liu from Southern University of Science and Technology, associate professor ShiFeng Zhang from Chinese academy of sciences, senior engineering Tinghai Ou from Univeristy of Gothenburg and doctoral student Aifang Chen, research assistant professor Masoud Irannezhad from Southern University of Science and Technology, Dr Ganquan Mao, Dr Kai Wang. On behalf of academician Deliang Chen, Aifang Chen from the University of Gothenburg participated in the conference and relevant investigation work.
From August 11 to 12, the research team, together with international experts, conducted a two-day field trip.
On the morning of November 11, the research team came to NAM MANG3 hydropower station in the north of Vientiane for investigation. Firstly, power station staff introduced the dam, reservoir, as well as the basic situation of the power station. Later, the research group discussed with the plant managers and international experts on the issues related to the construction, operation and management of the power station and flood control.
In the afternoon, the research group conducted a field investigation on the impact of climate change and economic development on land use in rural areas of Vientiane. The research team first arrived at Phukhaokhauymai village, which is located near the electric power station dam, and made an on-the-spot survey of the local residents' living water, drinking water, irrigation water, agricultural acreage, rice yield, as well as health care and education. Afterwards, the research team went to the reserved area with local characteristics to have a field study on the natural ecology and environment of Laos. Members of the research team trekked more than 8km to conduct an in-depth and detailed investigation of the local ecological situation. On the 12th of August, the research group carried out a research for the local social and economic conditions. They mainly visited a residential area under construction in the downtown of Vientnam, and the research group conducted consultation and exchange with local entourage on Vientiane economic development, land use ratio changes and urbanization process in recent years. Subsequently, the research team went to the section of the Mekong river between Laos and Thailand and carried out field investigation along the banks of Laos.
From 13th to 16th of August, the group helped to organize a four-day international conference on land cover/land use change and water-energy-food nexus in southeast Asia. The Southern University of Science and Technology, the Chinese academy of sciences and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden were the three sponsors of the international conference. The project leaders, academician Deliang Chen and professor Junguo Liu, were members of the international executive committee of this international conference. Group and from China, the United States, France, Korea, myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and so on more than 10 countries in southeast Asia, nearly 120 academics carried out a meeting related to the land use change, agriculture, hydrology and water resources, energy, and etc., to carry out a series of academic research, involving the science (atmosphere, hydrology), technology (GIS, remote sensing), and the social economy, population, food and energy security) as well as multiple levels of academic exchanges.
Professor Junguo Liu did a report titled "water in southeast Asia - energy - food nexus with opportunities and challenges" and studied the Mekong river basin including data acquisition, international cooperation project discussion, data sharing, government involvement, ability construction and other issues put forward specific solutions, and it was well recognized by the members. On behalf of professor Deliang Chen, Aifang Chen from the university of Gothenburg made a report entitled "Precipitation in the Mekong river basin", introducing available rainfall products in the Mekong river basin and summarizing their reliability. At the same time, the research group conducted fruitful academic exchanges with the scholars and established contacts with many research institutions and universities in southeast Asia. Nearly 10 participants will visit the Southern University of Science and Technology for academic exchanges, and a number of scholars hoped to carry out long-term international cooperative research on water resources in the Mekong river basin.
On August 17, Prof. Junguo Liu and experts from Michigan State university visited the Mekong river commission in Vientiane and Laos. On the same day, the research group finished the research and returned to China. Not only the research gained new scientific understanding of Mekong river water resources as well as agriculture and ecological environment, but also laid a solid foundation for future scientific cooperation.
"Climate and water resource change in southeast Asian countries" is an important subject of the "pan-third pole environmental change and green silk road construction" special project of the Chinese academy of sciences. The project is jointly undertaken by the Southern University of Science and Technology, institute of Tibetan plateau, Chinese academy of sciences, institute of atmospheric physics, institute of geographical science and resources, Beijing Normal University, University of Gothenburg as well as Sweden and six other institutions. This project would lead to major national requirements, closely around the third pole especially in southeast Asian countries on climate change, changes in water resources and water ecological environment and human health effects of key scientific problems of research, to ensure the security of water resources in southeast Asia and the area provided the scientific basis and technical support.