The Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IEECAS) held a workshop during May 14-28, 2018, focusing on creating a series of high-quality training courses on climate and environmental change of the regions along "Belt and Road". 

The workshop took the form of a combination of classroom theoretical learning, laboratory visits and training, field practice, typical case teaching and interview communication, etc. 

In the course of classroom learning, the trainees systematically learned courses such as tree ring, stalagmite, dust deposition and global change, coral/tridacna and marine environment change, application of multiple methods in the study of regional ecological environment change, aerosol and atmospheric environment change, numerical simulation of climate change, principle and application of ICP-MS and accelerator mass spectrometry, etc. They discussed basic theoretical knowledge, experimental methods and subject frontiers of climate and environmental change research. 

In the laboratory visit, the trainees systematically visited the advanced instruments and equipment and analysis and test platform of IEECAS, and learned to use some instruments and equipment in a targeted way. 

In the field study, the trainees learned the principles and sampling methods of tree rings, stalagmites and loess deposits. 

"This training program provides us with an opportunity to learn from leading experts in climate and environmental research. It enables us to master the basic research methods of climate and environmental change, understand the core scientific issues of global change, and explore the research program of climate and environmental change along the Silk Road," said Dr. Sakonvan Chawchai from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University. She also said that after returning to Thailand, she would actively promote the cooperation between IEECAS and Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University in related research fields. 

The training program has improved the research ability of young scholars from countries along the "Belt and Road" in the field of climate and environmental change, and played an important role in promoting the cooperation between China and countries along the "Belt and Road".

Fig. 1 Trainees of the workshop (Image by TAN Liangcheng)

Fig. 2 Group photo of the workshop (Image by TAN Liangcheng)