Two international major science projects launched in Nansha, Guangzhou

China News Service, Guangzhou, November 1 (Reporter Wang Jian) ​​The 2026 Greater Bay Area Science Forum will be held in Nansha, Guangzhou from October 31 to November 2. During this period, two international major science projects were launched in Nansha.

According to reports, the United Nations' "Ocean Decade" major science plan led by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Provincial Laboratory (Guangzhou) - Global Climate Impacts of Methane Seeps (CliMetS) and the "Science Decade" major science plan - Mysteries of Ocean Cold Seep Interfaces, The official launch of MOCSI marks that my country has taken a key step from in-depth participation to international leadership in the field of research on deep-sea cold seeps and their impact on global climate change.

At the launch ceremony, Professor Qian Peiyuan, chief scientist of CliMetS, and Professor Feng Jingchun, chief scientist of MOCSI, introduced two major science projects to the world and once again extended an invitation to the world to conduct collaborative research on deep-sea cold seeps.

According to reports, the two major science plans adhere to the guiding principle of "co-design, joint implementation, and joint ownership". Currently, they have brought together more than 220 scientists from more than 50 countries and more than 140 maritime-related institutions to build a global cooperation network; the two major science plans will use international shared voyages, interdisciplinary joint research, regular international Promote South-South cooperation in the form of international seminars, training courses, etc., establish unified deep-sea cold seep observation methods and data systems, systematically reveal the climate effects of ocean methane cycle and cold seep ecosystems, effectively enhance the scientific research capabilities of developing countries in the field of deep-sea cold seep research, and build a more equitable, just, and inclusive new pattern of global ocean scientific research and management.

"The Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Southern Marine Science and Engineering (Guangzhou) is the leading unit and will actively promote and coordinate the participation of all parties in the big science plan. In the past year, we have conducted a series of seminars in many places around the world and mobilized regional forces to jointly promote the plan." Qian Peiyuan said, "Our goal is to draw a 'map' of the distribution of cold springs around the world and provide it to relevant scientists and governments, so as to contribute to the future of marine undertakings and the sustainable development of mankind."

In addition, the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Provincial Laboratory (Guangzhou) signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the "Deep Sea Exploration and Seabed Resource Development Scenario" with the first batch of corporate partners on site.