The BRICS Workshop on Climate Prediction and Marine Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, hosted by the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21, organized jointly by the First Institute of Oceanography and the Decade Collaborative Center on Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination Amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P. R. China (DCC-OCC), took place on 12-13 December 2022, in Qingdao of China and online, aiming to enhance the pragmatic cooperation in the marine and polar areas among BRICS countries, and to actively promote the flagship project on climate prediction and marine hazards prevention and mitigation.

Under the framework of the UN Ocean Decade, future cooperation on climate prediction and marine disaster prevention and mitigation was actively discussed, and ideas on the social needs, and progress on scientific research, especially the cooperation framework was fully exchanged to initiate the flagship project to promote the sustainable development on marine and society among the BRICS countries.

The workshop included three topics. The first topic focused on joint observations, predictions, and services for ocean and climate. Specific reports included the ocean and climate model development and services, policies for data/information/technology/product/knowledge sharing and dissemination, and strategies on marine and climate disaster prevention and mitigation. Capability building, including training, workshop, and education, was also emphasized. During the second session, participants shared and explored the best practices for ocean-based solutions to climate change, which will facilitate the use of climate and ocean knowledge, encouraging more actions for ocean sustainability as well as climate mitigation and resilience. Finally, scientists from the BRICS countries reported the current research on climate change in the Arctic and Antarctic, focusing on the long-term trends and short-term predictions of Antarctic and Arctic sea ice and climate, as well as the relationship between polar and climate change.

Roxy Mathew Koll from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, India, the co-chair of CLIVAR India Ocean Region Panel, Ronald Buss de Souza from the National Institute for Space Research, Brazil, member of the Southern Ocean Region Panel, Fangli Qiao from the First Institute of Oceanography, China, the CLIVAR SSG member, and Qi Shu, member of the CLIVAR Northern Oceans Region Panel, contributed this workshop. Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of UNESCO-IOC, made the opening remark representing the UN Ocean Decade. 

This workshop will strengthen the communication and cooperation among CLIVAR, UN Ocean Decade, and the scientists from the BRICS countries.

BRICS is an acronym for five leading emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.