On September 7, 2025, the 9th International Knowledge Service Seminar on Disaster Prevention and Reduction and the "Fifth International Forum on Sustainable Development Big Data - Big Data Helping the the Belt and Road" Disaster Prevention and Reduction Branch in 2025, hosted by UNESCO International Engineering Science and Technology Knowledge Center ("IKEST" for short) and organized by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the IKEST sub platform team for disaster prevention and reduction, were successfully held in Beijing. The conference attracted representatives from many universities and research institutions at home and abroad to participate in exchanges.
The meeting was co chaired by researcher Wang Cile, the director of IKCEST disaster prevention and mitigation sub platform, Professor Faith Chan of Nottingham University in Ningbo, and Dr. Li Congrong, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The seminar includes 6 presentations. Liu Chang, Secretary General of IKCEST and Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, first gave a report introducing the latest progress in IKCEST's background, platform construction, and international cooperation; Researcher Wang Quanle focused on the big data driven "the Belt and Road" disaster prevention and reduction, introduced the latest progress of the disaster prevention and reduction sub center, including the progress of data resources construction, the construction of disaster emergency service columns, the provision of emergency disaster reduction services for earthquake disasters in Myanmar, and the case application around SDG2, 6, 7, 11, 13, 15 and other goals; Xu Xiyan, a researcher from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a report on "Wildfire risk under extreme climate conditions"; Faith Chan shared "China's Sponge City Plan (SCP) - Challenges and Opportunities"; Dr. Li calmly introduced the design of data indicators and database construction for flood emergency management; Asma Tanveer from Pakistan reported on the study of glacial lake outburst floods in the high mountain regions of Asia. During the conference, the journal "Engineering" of the Chinese Academy of Engineering was also displayed and promoted on site, attracting widespread attention from attending experts.
The successful holding of this conference has further strengthened the collaborative relationship between IKCEST and relevant domestic and foreign institutions, promoted international exchanges and cooperation in the field of disaster prevention and reduction, and helped enhance the capacity and influence of the global disaster prevention and reduction knowledge service system.