Participants in the 2023 International Training on Tackling Climate Change Risks and Protecting Marine Environments. [Photo by Wang Hong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Thirty-one officials and scholars from seven Pacific Island nations recently completed a two-week training program in Qingdao, Shandong province, focused on equipping them with knowledge and skills to address climate change and manage marine environments.

The program, consisting of 12 academic classes, visits to research institutions and cultural experiences, was organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and co-hosted by the Center for Ocean Carbon Neutrality at Ocean University of China and the foreign affairs office of the Qingdao municipal government.

Recognizing the Pacific Island nations' vulnerability to climate change, organizers aimed to enhance the participants' awareness of addressing risks and promoting protection of the marine environment.

Zhang Junfeng, president of the university, emphasized the global importance of tackling climate change. He noted the significant role of the ocean as the largest carbon sink on the planet. He also highlighted the ocean's vast carbon sequestration potential.

"During the training, participants engaged in discussions with experts and scholars on global climate change, the impact of climate change on Pacific Island nations, climate system models, climate change predictions, marine fisheries and the blue economy," Zhang said.

Li Jianping, director of the Center for Ocean Carbon Neutrality, expressed optimism that the training would contribute to cultivating more talent in Pacific Island nations dedicated to addressing climate change issues.

He also expressed the hope that continued efforts to strengthen cooperation with those nations would support their contributions to climate mitigation, marine environment protection and sustainable development.

Asenaca Bose Koli, a 24-year-old health inspector from the municipal council of Labasa in the Fiji Islands, was one of the 31 participants. She said in her country there are no industries that recycle white goods — large home appliances that are often white — and reuse them to make other useful things. Currently, discarded white goods are usually dumped in landfills.

"I will go back home and try to implement the strategies I learned about recycling — to reduce and reuse waste in order to combat climate change," Koli said.