On June 5, World Environment Day, the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) Alliance for Ecological and Environmental Science and Industry announced China's top 10 scientific advances in environmental research for 2024 in Beijing.
The selected projects mark meaningful progress in tackling global environmental challenges. Highlights include breakthroughs in understanding carbon cycling in permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, changes in key atmospheric components under climate change, and the development of intelligent forecasting systems that combine meteorological and environmental data. Additional achievements include the release of the open-source EPICC-Model for simulating emissions-atmosphere interactions, improved carbon estimation formulas based on global soil microbiome data, and new theoretical advances in ecological restoration applied to river systems.
Other notable work includes research on urban land subsidence, the interplay between climate change and terrestrial ecosystems, and technologies that enable the simultaneous reduction of carbon emissions and pollutants in industrial processes. A newly developed integrated system for the Yellow River Basin combines capacity building, pollution control, and decarbonization strategies.
Academician Zhang Yuanhang, Vice Chair of the Alliance and Director of its Academic Exchange Committee, stated that these accomplishments reflect the country's expanding capabilities in environmental science—spanning water, air, soil, waste management, and monitoring technologies.
According to Academician Wang Jinnan, Chair of the Alliance and Honorary President of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, China now operates the world's largest carb]on capture facility (with a capacity of one million tons annually), has launched an advanced methane-monitoring satellite, and developed a cutting-edge Earth system dynamic model. The country has also built the world's largest emerging pollutant database, containing over 45,000 entries.
Wang emphasized that these advances represent the scientific frontier and carry strong potential for real-world application. They are expected to support green growth and sustainable development goals both domestically and globally.
The final list was selected by a panel of 14 academicians following expert recommendations from institutions across academia and industry. This marks the sixth consecutive year the CAST Alliance for Ecological and Environmental Science and Industry has organized the annual selection, totaling 60 major advances to date.
Source: Science and Technology Daily, VOC
