Beijing Climate Centre

Mr. James T. Harris (Vice President of International Crane Foundation) visited BCC

2007-05-09

April 27, Mr. James T. Harris (Vice President of International Crane Foundation) visited BCC. He exchanged with BCC experts on the "Possible affects of Climate Change and Human Activities on wetlands, wetland vegetation and Crane habitat".

International Crane Foundation (ICF) founded in 1973 in US. Building a modern ambulance base for crane and other rare birds breeding and feeding . Mainly on the protection and research of cranes and other rare birds. China is recognized as the most diverse region of Crane. There are 15 kinds of crane in the world, and China has 8. Therefore, ICF focus on China. Since 1979, ICF began cooperation with China, and had good cooperation with us.

Since 1986, Mr. James T. Harris visited China over 40 times. Through depth investigation in China, he thinks that human activities surrounding wetlands influence the ecosystem balance. In his report, he told us the volume changes of red-crowned crane and black-necked crane; the main breeding and wintering places and the changes; also the possible relationship with human activities and climate change.

Mr. James T. Harris’s report attracted the participants. Prof. Ren Guoyu (Laboratory for Climate Studies/BCC) introduced the development, the main professional research fields, and the main conclusions of climate change and prediction of BCC to him. BCC experts attended the seminar and joined the discussion on relevant scientific issues and cooperation prospects, preliminary determined the possibilities for further cooperation.