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Prof. Cai Shuming
Prof. Cai Shuming, an expert in wetland studies from the CAS Institute of Geodesy & Geophysics, has been honored with a Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award in 2005. The announcement was made by the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention on June 10 in Gland, Switzerland.
The Ramsar Award was established in 1996 in order to recognize and honor the contributions of individuals, organizations and governments around the world towards promoting the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The 2005 Award is made in the three categories of management, science, and education.
According to the Standing Committee, Prof. Cai is chosen as the laureate in science category for his research studies on the Yangtze River. He was also recognized by the international community for his in-depth research on the effects of the Three-Gorge dam project on the environment, assessment and mitigation of natural disasters (
e.g. flood and water logging in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River). A respected figure and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Prof. Cai has used his scientific achievements to reach practical results for wetland conservation. He is also an active advocate for the legislation on the protection and control of wetland in China.
The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on February 2 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Entered into force in 1975, it is the first of the modern global intergovernmental treaties on conservation and wise use of natural resources. As of May 1, 2003, it has 136 contracting parties. China became a signatory party to the international convention on wetland in 1992.