Professor Chen Deliang from Tsinghua University's Department of Earth System Science (DESS) recently participated in the interdisciplinary salon "When Science Meets Art: Protecting Glaciers for a Cooler Planet" at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. The event brought together actress Liu Tao, explorer Wen Xu, and other distinguished guests from arts, sciences, and various other social sectors to discuss glacier conservation.

Chen Deliang delivers a speech

Chen Deliang plays the guitar in the salon

Chen Deliang delivered a keynote address titled "Preserving the Beauty of Glaciers," taking the audience on a journey to the Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Third Pole." He elucidated glaciers' critical roles in climate regulation, water resource provision, and biodiversity maintenance. Drawing from his extensive scientific expeditions to Mount Everest, Professor Chen highlighted how glaciers embody not just scientific value but also aesthetic, cultural, and spiritual significance. "As glaciers silently retreat due to global warming," he noted, "we're losing not just ice, but associated memories, cultures, and futures." Building on this, he presented not only scientific insights into glacial research, but also offered a novel guitar performance of “Romance de Amor”. Through this artistic medium, he appealed to the public to actively participate in glacier conservation by embracing multiple approaches - combining science with art, education with action - all working together to safeguard this invaluable gift bestowed upon us from the world's majestic heights.

A leading expert in global change and Tibetan Plateau climate research, Chen has been instrumental in the international "Third Pole Environment" program, fostering multinational scientific collaboration. As a leading figure, he has fostered multinational scientific collaboration in the region while elevating global awareness and advancing research standards on its environmental challenges.

With visionary leadership, Professor Chen pioneered the integration of research across Earth's three extreme environments: the Arctic, Antarctic, and Third Pole (Tibetan Plateau). His systematic analysis of China's glacial changes in recent decades has precisely quantified melt rates, spatial patterns, and driving mechanisms, establishing critical scientific foundations for understanding climate impacts on mountain water resources, ecosystems, and downstream communities.

Panel discussions

Professor Chen's participation in this cross-disciplinary salon showcased the extensive expertise of Tsinghua DESS in climate change and polar glaciology, while demonstrating its steadfast commitment to public science communication and environmental protection.

Leveraging its interdisciplinary strengths, Tsinghua DESS adopts a holistic approach—integrating atmospheric sciences, geoinformatics, ecology and related disciplines—to conduct thorough investigations of the Third Pole's Earth systems. These efforts have significantly advanced understanding of environmental changes in this region under global warming.

Written by Wang Jiayin

Image source: National Centre for the Performing Arts

Reviewed by Chen Deliang and Geng Rui