China-Cambodia joint karst research gets UN pat

The United Nations has recognized China-Cambodia joint research in the karst critical zone as a prime example of South-South cooperation, highlighting their high-quality collaboration and significant contributions to addressing global climate change.

The karst critical zone, characterized by its unique "double layer" structure above and below ground, forms a distinct geological-ecological system through the interaction of rock, water, soil, air, and organisms. It is closely linked to the carbon cycle, as karst processes play a significant role in carbon sequestration through carbonate rock weathering and carbon storage.

Li Qiang, a professor at the Institute of Karst Geology of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences who leads the joint research, noted the influence of temperature on karst processes, which varies significantly across climates. This complementarity, he added, makes cooperation natural: China contributes advanced research methods and monitoring technologies, while Cambodia offers typical tropical karst features for study.

"The China-Cambodia geoscience cooperation is not a coincidence but a tangible manifestation of the two nations' consensus on building a green community with a shared future," Li said. He emphasized that the UN's recognition underscores the importance of cooperative research and governance to maintain carbon balance.

Launched in 2021, the joint research aimed to promote the study of karst's carbon sink effect, as Cambodia's lack of expertise had hindered its research progress even with China's help in building its first national geological laboratory.

To improve the field expertise and professional skills of local people, the Institute of Karst Geology, in collaboration with institutions such as the China-ASEAN Geosciences Cooperation Center in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the Guangxi geological survey bureau, assembled a global research team of around 20 Chinese members. This team includes experts from diverse fields, including geology, ecology, microbiology and hydrogeology.

Over the years, the team has organized initiatives such as regular technical seminars, collaborative field investigations, and the development of a data-sharing mechanism, training over 100 Cambodian researchers. This has enabled them to master techniques for monitoring carbon cycling, conducting sample analyses, and processing data, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of collaborative research.

In 2022, Chinese and Cambodian researchers established the country's first monitoring station for the carbon cycle in the tropical karst critical zone in Battambang, western Cambodia, creating a complete chain spanning data collection, sample testing, and application demonstration.

The site selection process took six months, considering factors such as favorable karst development conditions, high integrity of vegetation cover, and minimal human activity interference. Additionally, the equipment, all manufactured in China, was modified to accommodate the high temperatures and rainy weather conditions of the region.

"The station, combined with monitoring networks in China's subtropical, temperate, and alpine climate zones, can provide crucial scientific support for global karst carbon sink assessment and climate change response," Li said. He added that a recent evaluation of Cambodia's carbon sink potential, based on monitoring and remote sensing data, has provided an important reference for policymaking.

"The geoscience cooperation between China and Cambodia has achieved significant results, forming a collaboration framework that integrates platform construction, scientific research and capacity building," he said. "This collaboration exemplifies our joint efforts to address global climate change and promote sustainable development, offering a valuable reference for other nations."