Chen Lei  
Minister of Water Resources, P.R. China
(July 29th, 2009)

Your Honorable Professor Walter R. Erdelen, Assistant Director General of UNESCO,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we are gathering together to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the founding of UNESCO International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (ITRCES) to review the development course of IRTCES, to celebrate its achievements and to envisage and plan its bright future. First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Water Resources, P. R. China, I would like to extend our warm congratulations to the 25th Anniversary of IRTCES and our sincere gratitude to UNESCO, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and all organizations and institutions that have rendered long-term care and support to the development of IRTCES. We would also convey our warm regards to all the staff members of IRTCES and scientists of the erosion and sedimentation field in the world!
 
Twenty-five years ago, in order to solve worldwide sedimentation problems and to promote international exchange of knowledge and cooperation in the studies of erosion and sedimentation problems, after its approval at the 22nd session of UNESCO's General Conference, the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) was jointly established by the Government of China and UNESCO in Beijing. In 2005, the renewed Agreement on IRTCES between the Government of China and UNESCO was signed, assigned with new missions under new circumstances. During these 25 years, the Chinese government has always given full support to the development of IRTCES in terms of human resources materials, finances as well as in policies. As the first water-related category II center under the auspices of UNESCO and China's first international research centre on water, IRTCES has been working diligently and growing continuously by exploration and practice through unremitting efforts and extensive cooperation. The center has made great contributions to the development of worldwide erosion and sedimentation course and to international exchanges and cooperation of China's water sector and has won international reputation.

Firstly, the increasingly active academic exchanges at home and abroad. The triennial "International Symposia on River Sedimentation" has become the most important and influential international academic conference in the field of erosion and sedimentation. The "International Conference on Estuaries and Coasts" held every three years has become an important international academic conference and the "Sino-American Workshop on Advanced Computational Modeling in Hydroscience and Engineering" has become a biennial exchange event. IRTCES has actively sponsored and co-sponsored more than 50 national and cross-straits academic exchange conferences, with over 6,000 participants in total. All these conferences play an important role in directing scientific development and promoting progress on theory and practice of rivers, water and sedimentation problems worldwide.

Secondly, steady expansion of technical training. Over the past 25 years, IRTCES has been actively expanding the training programme from soil and water conservation, river harnessing, reservoir sedimentation to flood control and disaster mitigation, water resource management, watershed management and ecological construction, and exploring new ways of training such as the "Going Out" strategy. More than 20 terms of international and domestic training course have been organized respectively. Especially in recent years, 500 trainees from 36 countries and regions of DPRK, ROK, Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran, India, the Philippines and Russia etc, have attended the training courses, which promote the technological development of worldwide sedimentation science.

Thirdly, continual strengthening of research consultation. IRTCES has successively undertaken the research consultation projects of the international organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Bank etc. It has also developed international, multilateral and bilateral cooperation with many countries and regions. More than 40 international research consultation projects of different types have been accomplished. Especially in recent years, within the framework of UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP), research projects related to the Yellow River sedimentation, warping dam construction, integrated physical and ecological management of rivers and water and sedimentation variation in the Pearl River have been completed, which provides experience for decision-making and research of the global sustainable sedimentation management. Meanwhile, over 100 domestic key projects have been underway with focus on river harness, providing a technical support for the national economic construction.

Fourthly, constant development of international cooperation and exchange. IRTCES has signed more than 10 agreements for cooperation and exchange with related countries and international organizations. It has invited 150 world-renowned experts and scholars to give lectures and technical consultation in China. Besides, more than 500 Chinese scholars were organized to participate in international seminars and technical investigation in over 30 countries, and over 100 domestic leading technicians were selected to go abroad for further education and training. Under the initiative and guide of IRTCES, the World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research (WASER) was inaugurated. The International Sediment Initiative (ISI) under the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP) has also set up. These international cooperation and exchanges have exerted an active and far-reaching impact in the international erosion and sedimentation field.

Fifthly, progress in basic platform construction. In recent years, with the vigorous support of the Chinese government and the UNESCO, IRTCES has developed a database "Global Data of Erosion and Sedimentation" and built a powerful sharing platform and management system for mass information of the global sedimentation. The construction of this platform directly serves the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the World Water Assessment Programme and the World Water Development Report. The websites of the International Network on Erosion and Sedimentation (Chinese-English version), the WASER and the UNESCO-ISI (English Version) established by the IRTCES play an important role in leading the cooperation and information exchange in the erosion and sedimentation area.

Sixthly, enhancement of international profile. The "International Journal of Sediment Research" initiated by IRTCES is the only international journal in English version focusing on erosion and sedimentation, and its papers have been indexed in the "Science Citation Index" (SCI) and "Engineering Index" (EI). The "Gazette of River Sediment in China" edited and published by IRTCES gives out the annual basic information on China's main rivers and sedimentation, playing an important role in the government's decision making, production practice and scientific research. The "Qian Ning Prize for Erosion and Sedimentation" set up by IRTCES has become the highest award in the erosion and sedimentation field in China. Nine awarding activities have been successfully organized and 30 experts have won the award. In 2007, the first international "Qian Ning Prize for Erosion and Sedimentation" was awarded in Moscow.

Over the past 25 years, IRTCES has gradually grown into a world-famous institute with vast international influence, powerful professional research and good reputation in cooperation, establishing its leading role in the field of international research on erosion and sedimentation. It has also provided important support for development of the international erosion and sedimentation course. The achievements of IRTCES has won wide international and domestic recognition and received high remarks from UNESCO officials and successive representatives of the UNESCO Office Beijing. They said that IRTCES is one of the best partners of UNESCO in China. IRTCES has developed along with the gradual deepening of China's opening up to the outside world and the deeper integration of China's water management sector in the world water community. Its development is also a crystallization of many scientific and technological workers' wisdom and effort, and an embodiment of the water control concept of harmony between human and nature, unfolding a splendid chapter in the history of China's international cooperation and exchange in water as well as in the international erosion and sedimentation field.

Sediment problems are the most difficult issues in the world. With global climate change and the exacerbation of impact of human activities, many countries are now facing much severer challenges in sediment problems in river harnessing, flood control and disaster mitigation, water resources development and utilization and ecological and environmental protection. According to preliminary sediment statistics available for the world, the annual erosion of surface soil from river basins amounts to 60 billion tons, resulted in the erosion of as much as 50,000~70,000 square kilometers farmland. Heavy deposition of sediment in river channels has caused the continuous rising of the river beds, and about 1% of the precious storage capacity of the world's reservoirs is annually lost to deposition. In the seventh phase (2008-2013) of the UNESCO International Hydrological Program (IHP), coping with sediment problem is among the main tasks. It calls for countries all around the world to enhance awareness of the importance of the sedimentation erosion issue and its impact, strengthen education and capacity building for sustainable sedimentation management, increase research and training related to sedimentation and erosion, promote the information exchange in relevant data, measurement and management methods and implement sustainable management of soil and sedimentation resources.

China is one of those countries most vulnerable to the sedimentation issues. Since the founding of People's Republic of China in 1949, extensive treatment practice and research work in terms of water and soil conservation, harnessing of rivers and lakes and ecological environment have been carried out, which has obtained great achievements and success. China's technology for river harnessing as well as sedimentation science research has reached international advanced level. However, it is clear that the sedimentation problems in China are still pressing. The land area affected by soil erosion has topped 3.56 million square kilometers, which makes up 37% of the land area. The annual average amount of soil erosion has added up to 4.5 billion tons, causing a loss of arable land amounting to about 67,000 hectare. The discharge and deposition of large amount of sedimentation in rivers, lakes and reservoirs reduce the regulation and storage function of water facilities and the flood discharge capacity of natural river courses, which leads to the aggravation of floods in the lower reaches. The soil erosion in the Loess Plateau area resulted in 9.2 billion tons of sedimentation deposition in the lower Yellow River during 1950-1999 and a general increase of the river bed by 2~4 meters. The river bed in lower reaches of the main stream of the Liaohe River has been 1~2 meters above the ground, making it the "the river above the ground". The soil erosion leads to an annual average sediment deposition of 1.624 billion cubic meters in more than 80,000 reservoirs in our country, while the Dongting Lake has an annual average sedimentation deposition of 98 million cubic meters. The constructed large-scale water projects in China have a significant impact upon the evolution of downstream river courses and estuaries, and new issues and tasks are necessary for the adaptability of the existing river training works and future treatment measures. With the deepening of the concept of harmony between man and nature, a lot of new issues and challenges emerge in the erosion and sedimentation field such as the development and innovation of the ecology and environment-friendly river control technology, research and grasp of the law in soil erosion and river course evolution under the influence of human activities and the transport and transformation of the pollutants from the sedimentation movement as well as its impact on ecology and environment, etc.

At present and in the future, as an important international institute and world leader in the sedimentation field, IRTCES, in accordance with the requirements of the UNESCO and focusing on the central tasks of the Ministry of Water Resources, aims at the cutting edge of science and technology in the erosion and sedimentation field .It should give full play to its leading role in this field and serve as a bridge and link and constantly strengthen centre capacity-building. It is necessary to actively expand the international research consultation, vigorously carry out technical training, unswervingly promote the progress of sedimentation technology, and finally to advance the development of world erosion and sedimentation course, sustainable utilization of natural resources and improvement of the ecological environment of human beings.

Firstly, strongly play the role as a bridge. Through the support of UNESCO, the use of existing multilateral and bilateral mechanisms, and the support of UNESCO International Sediment Project, WASER, international conferences, international training, the Expert Group of the Three Gorges project, the Qian Ning Prize Foundation and its unique status and network advantage, the role of organization and coordination of IRTCES should be given full play in order to strengthen cooperation with international organizations, national institutions, government departments and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, ITRCES shall provide platforms for academic exchange in different forms and levels so as to promote international exchange and cooperation and tackle problems by joint efforts in the erosion and sedimentation field.

Secondly, actively expand international research and consultation. IRTCES should conduct extensive cooperation with international organizations, research institutions and business groups; and strengthen technical cooperation with international counterparts to further improve China and the world's sedimentation and watershed management level. In regard to major sedimentation issues that all countries faced, IRTCES should organize various activities such as technology assessment and decision-making consultation in multi-forms at all levels to bring experts and technical personnel together for providing advice and suggestions on water development, thus, the advisory and technical support role of IRTCES could be brought into full play.

Thirdly, vigorously carry out technical training. IRTCES, as a UNESCO category II center, should give full play to its institutional, organizational, talent and technological advantages, firmly grasp direction of economic and social development, new variation of water resources and the latest trend of international sedimentation research, organize various international training programs on soil and water conservation, river management, reservoir sedimentation, watershed management, flood control and disaster mitigation, water resources and aquatic ecosystems, etc., so as to train special personnel in administration and technology for developing countries, enhance the influence of China's water and sedimentation research and promote the application of China's latest technologies, materials and equipments internationally.

Fourthly, strive to promote the progress of information technology in erosion and sedimentation field. The worldwide database construction of river sedimentation should be improved in order to provide timely, comprehensive and precise information to scientific research of global peers and investigation and decision-making of government departments. IRTCES should promote ability construction on aspects of international information exchange and cooperation, report the latest developments and share the river sedimentation data. It should cope with climate change and economic and social development needs, conduct research and communication activities on related theory, method, technology and criterions focusing on problems of soil erosion, river management, reservoir sedimentation, and watershed ecology etc. IRTCES should publicize sediment knowledge and increase public awareness of sedimentation problems and their important role in social and economic development by diverse methods so as to advance the technology development of world's sedimentation science and accelerate the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Fifthly, continue to strengthen the ability of IRTCES. In recent years, the category II centers under UNESCO have gone through rapid growth, from the initial 10 centers to more than 40 centers now. The 181st session of UNESCO Executive Board, which was held in April this year, reviewed and passed the integrated strategy for category II centers under the UNESCO and put forward specific requirements in standardized management and final appraisal of the centers. As a first water related category II center under the auspices of UNESCO, IRTCES should build a contingent of devoted professionals who are innovative and pragmatic, with excellent organization and coordination ability.
 
Dear friends, it has been 25 years since the foundation of IRTCES, and the development tasks of IRTCES in future will be even more pressing. As always, the Ministry of Water Resources of P. R. China will give full support to IRTCES. I hope, with the international and domestic concern and support, with the hard work of all staff of IRTCES, IRTCES will be able to create more brilliant achievements, and make greater contributions to the prevention of sedimentation disasters in the world, rational utilization of water and soil resources and sustainable socio-economic development.

Thank you!