Lancaster Environment Researchers meet Vince Cable in China
Lancaster University researchers were in Beijing this month taking part in round table discussions on Science, Innovation and Business Growth with Dr Vince Cable, UK’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable are in China as part of a high-profile UK government and trade mission designed to improve business links with China. David Cameron is also visiting China this week for the first time as prime minister
In the round table talks, Vince Cable heard from a small group of UK and Chinese scientists, researchers and businesses including representatives from Lancaster who are working with Chinese partners on a long-term project to address the global challenges of environmental pollution and food security.
The project is part of a £1.33m Research Council UK Science Bridge award bringing together Lancaster University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Agricultural University to address the global challenges of environmental pollution and food security.
As part of this project, these long-standing partnerships are being harnessed to drive economic recovery and growth in the UK and China. The collaboration is yielding new technologies to reduce environmental pollution, improve health, increase food production and secure scarce water supplies and UK and Chinese businesses, large and small, now form part of the project team developing these solutions.
Dr Mark Bacon from Lancaster University’s Environment Centre who attended the round-table discussion said: “Our China Bridge project is enabling us to use the global reach of Lancaster University and that of our Chinese partners for the benefit of UK and Chinese business.”
“The global market for solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges is vast. The business response to these challenges, in terms of the development of new products and services, can both underpin more sustainable economic growth and play a large part in delivering the urgent need for solutions.”