Third Pole environment - A symposium on durability and sustainability
© Nepali Times
EPFL’s professor Jérôme Chappellaz participated in 2024 in his quality of Chairman of the Ice Memory Foundation (July 2021 - March 2025) in the International Symposium on the Third Pole Environment (ISTPE). The Symposium was held in Chongqing and discussions featured climate and environmental change as well as developmental plans for the future.
Advancing Understanding of the Tibetan Plateau
The symposium focused on academic work related to the Tibetan Plateau—also known as the Third Pole—and its relevance to society. The gathering aimed to advance current understanding of the Third Pole environment to support early adaptation of the region to climate change, while identifying cutting-edge issues and developing plans for the future.
Jérôme Chappellaz, in his quality of Chairman of the Ice Memory Foundation (July 2021 - March 2025), presented the initiative and its recent progress to the Chinese scientific community. The Foundation's work with Chinese collaborators continues to grow, reflecting the importance of international cooperation in preserving glacial heritage.
International Collaboration
The symposium brought together several international participants, including Professor Tom Battin from EPFL's River Ecosystems Laboratory (RIVER), who specializes in the biophysical chemistry of rivers downstream from glaciers—a critical area of research as glacial melt accelerates.
The event was organized under the leadership of Professor Yao Tandong, Director of the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ITPR) and disciple of Professor Qin Dahe, the former vice-chairman of the Working Group I of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Professor Qin Dahe is also a member of the Ice Memory Foundation's Board.
About the Third Pole
The Third Pole refers to the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding high-mountain regions, which contain the largest reserve of ice outside the polar regions. Climate change poses significant threats to this critical water source for billions of people across Asia.
The Ice Memory Foundation and EPFL’s involvment underscores their commitment to international scientific collaboration on urgent environmental challenges and the preservation of glacial archives for future generations.
