From 29 September to 3 October 2026, the China-UK Symposium on Urban Climate Resilience and Green Transition was held at the University of Cambridge and the University of Surrey. The symposium took place under the framework of the Sino-British Engineering Technology Cooperation Steering Committee. The event was jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), and six universities in China and the UK, including Beijing Normal University, Guangdong University of Technology, University of Cambridge, the University of Surrey and etc. More than 110 participants attended the meeting, representing institutions including the two academies, research institutions, universities and companies from China, the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

    The symposium opened at the University of Cambridge on 29 September. CAE Vice President CHEN Jianfeng, RAEng Fellow Sun Yan Evans, CAE Member YANG Zhifeng, and Professor Ramit Debnath delivered opening remarks. 

    They jointly called on China and the UK to turn their complementary strengths in urban renewal into practical cooperation. They also stressed the need to advance frontier research, respond to global challenges and translate innovation into development; deeper cooperation in engineering science and technology, together with closer exchanges among researchers, can help cities strengthen their climate resilience, pursue sustainable development and improve people’s well-being.

    Seven academy members/fellows and experts from China and the UK delivered keynote presentations on topics, including urban planning, urban flooding, water pollution control, air pollution control and industrial decarbonization. Eleven parallel sessions explored broad themes, including low-carbon urban and regional transitions; environmental quality and health; resilient infrastructure and resource systems; and digital technologies for targeted governance. The discussions connected frontier research with real-world urban needs and opened new opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation. A number of participating experts signed the China-Europe Joint Manifesto on Building Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization.

    On 3 October, the University of Surrey hosted a dedicated early-career talent exchange on the environment and sustainable development.

    The symposium gave fresh impetus to China-UK cooperation on climate action and sustainable urban development. It also broadened and deepened collaboration under the Sino-British Engineering Technology Cooperation Steering Committee. New links across academies, universities, research institutions and industry have added further depth and momentum to the partnership.