Page 14 - Green knowledge 2024

Photo: Siri Elise Dybdal
China-Norway collaboration on global challenges
NIBIO and its Chinese research partners celebrated 20 years of successful collaboration on
food security, the environment, and climate issues. Looking ahead, climate adaptation,
waste challenges, and the circular economy will also be key areas of cooperation.
Dr Jihong Liu Clarke, who leads NIBIO’s collabora-
tion with China, has played a crucial role in estab-
lishing scientific partnerships with Chinese research
institutes. She describes the anniversary as a major
achievement but also the beginning of a new chapter
in NIBIO’s research cooperation with China.
According to Clarke, there will be a stronger focus on
converting wastes to valuable products and the need
for recycling and reuse in the future. Climate change
and adaptation have also become more urgent.
One Health is another area that will play an impor-
tant role in the collaboration between China and
NIBIO. This concept recognises that the health of
humans, animals, and the environment are intercon-
nected, and that cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral
cooperation is necessary to ensure overall health.
So far, the focus has been on the occurrence of anti-
microbial resistance (AMR), but it will be important
to develop the One Health approach to include plant
health, food security, and environmental impacts.
“It is important to emphasise that while there are
new challenges, there are also new opportunities,”
Dr Clarke points out.
The governments of Norway and China have signed a
new three-year cooperation agreement, with NIBIO
playing a key role in its implementation.
“In the future, we need to produce more food with-
out using more land while reducing environmental
impact and the use of natural resources. This must
be done under increasingly challenging growing con-
ditions, water shortages, and more frequent extreme
weather events,” says Per Stålnacke, Director of
Research at NIBIO. He can see no other solution to
addressing global challenges.
“That is why we must work together,” he adds.
Purpose: Partnership: Contact: Celebrating 20 years of research collaboration with China.
Several Chinese research institutes and universities.
Research Professor/Coordinator for China Relations Jihong Liu Clarke, Division of Environment and
Natural Resources.
Email: jihong.liu-clarke@nibio.no | Phone: +47 995 94 790
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