The MAC-AIR Center (Max Planck-Asia Center) was officially inaugurated on April 14 at the Miyun Campus of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The Center's mission is to unravel the nexus of air pollution, extreme weather, and monsoons in a warming climate, with the goal of identifying pathways to global solutions.

The Center is a joint initiative of the Max Planck Society (Germany), CAS (China), the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (India), and the University of Helsinki (Finland). Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society and HE Hongping, Vice President of CAS jointly unveiled the plaque. The inauguration ceremony was presided over by JIANG Dabang Director-General of IAP.

Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society and HE Hongping, Vice President of CAS jointly unveiled the plaque (Image by IAP)

The ceremony saw the attendance of the MAC-AIR Center's Co-Directors, Professor CHENG Yafang (Director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry) and Professor SU Hang (Director of the State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Extreme Meteorology at IAP), along with senior representatives from the partner institutions and key research staff from IAP.

The Center aims to provide a scientific basis for formulating more effective response measures for air pollution and climate change, as well as enhancing extreme weather prediction capabilities, through research on the feedback mechanisms between aerosols, clouds and radiation.

The establishment of the center reflects the firm determination of all parties to join hands in addressing global challenges in the field of atmospheric sciences.

Following the inauguration, attendees toured the MAC-AIR Center's office space and the "EarthLab," a major national science and technology infrastructure. Participants engaged in discussions on the latest research progress concerning thunderstorm and lightning mechanisms, artificial intervention techniques, and the application of artificial intelligence in forecasting models.

The inauguration of the MAC-AIR Center marks a key outcome of the 2024 CAS-Max Planck 50th anniversary celebrations and high-level dialogue, turning that momentum into concrete cooperation. Taking this opportunity, IAP will deepen cooperation with its partner institutions, contributing scientific and technological expertise to global environmental governance and extreme weather response.