Project Background and Significance

1. Climate change has become a universally concerning issue threatening the sustainable development of human society. With the accelerated urbanization process, the large-scale outflow of rural populations, the fragmentation of landscape structures, the continuous deterioration of the environment, and the degradation of rural ecosystem functions, rural ecosystems have become more sensitive and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, leading to weakened adaptability. Therefore, it is urgent to carry out rural revitalization, ecological restoration, and climate adaptive governance, enhance the climate resilience of rural ecosystems, and address global climate change.

2. Bulgaria is an important strategic partner of China's "Belt and Road" initiative and serves as a gateway for China's cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe. Bulgaria accounts for 30% of the roundtable meetings in the European Union on policies and governance related to climate change, serving both as a policy maker and an important practitioner of EU climate-related policies. Rural areas in Bulgaria include village living environments, agricultural and forestry areas, rural tourism, and health preservation spaces, with primary and tertiary industries as the main focus and secondary industry integration. The rural industrial features are significant, similar to the spatial, industrial, and ecological characteristics involved in China's current rural revitalization. Currently, both countries face climate change risks and issues related to the climate sensitivity and adaptability of rural ecosystems. Therefore, there is great potential for cooperation between China and Bulgaria in the field of climate adaptive governance of rural ecosystems.

Project Objectives

1. Conduct research on the typical patterns of the natural-human ecological systems in rural areas of Bulgaria to understand the current status, challenges, and response strategies. Evaluate the existing effects of implemented strategies and discuss climate change predictions, risk assessments, and vulnerability assessments. Develop strategies for climate adaptive planning for rural ecosystem management.

2. Seizing the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria, promote in-depth scientific and technological cooperation with Bulgaria. Co-organize a climate change forum and an achievement release conference with Bulgaria. Based on this, jointly apply for future cooperation projects of the European Union, intergovernmental cooperation projects, and key projects.

3. Deepen educational exchange and cooperation between both sides and expand publicity efforts to enhance our university's reputation and enrollment of international students in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, create conditions for establishing a design internship base in Central and Eastern Europe and solidly promote the implementation of the internship base in Central and Eastern Europe within the design institute.