Recently, the “Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Environmental Evolution in Coastal Cities of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment” (hereinafter referred to as the Key Laboratory), led by Shenzhen University, has been approved by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for construction, and the construction period is two years. The Key Laboratory is headed by Academician Chen Xiangsheng of SZU, with the participation of Shenzhen Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute.

Coastal cities (clusters) are the most densely populated and economically developed core regions in China, and are important carriers for the implementation of national strategies such as Beautiful China and Waste-Free Cities. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area shoulders the national responsibility of building a world-class city cluster and participating in global competition, and at the same time, as one of the regions in China with the fastest urbanization process and the most prominent ecological and environmental pressures, its development practice is of typical significance in exploring the path of sustainable development of coastal city clusters.

The main construction task of the key laboratory is to focus on the outstanding ecological problems brought about by the accelerated evolution of urban soil and water environment under the background of high-intensity development of coastal cities, focusing on carrying out the law of soil and water environment evolution and environmental effects under the development of high-intensity urban development, the efficient treatment of bulk municipal solid waste and multi-scenario coupled utilization of soil and water, safe disposal of bulk municipal solid waste and control of soil and water pollution, the evolution of the soil and water environment of coastal cities, intelligent monitoring and ecological risk assessment, providing scientific and technological support for the ecological protection and high-quality development of coastal mega cities. Intelligent monitoring and ecological risk assessment, land and sea integrated management of coastal urban soil and water environment and the construction of resilient ecosystems, etc., in order to provide scientific and technological support for the ecological protection and high-quality development of coastal mega-cities.

In the next two years, the Key Laboratory will build a highland for research on the environmental evolution of coastal cities, and continuously enhance Shenzhen's innovation and influence in the field of ecological environment. At the same time, the relying units will use the Key Laboratory as a platform to promote cooperation and exchanges among advantageous units and researchers in related fields, and to cultivate a group of outstanding innovative talents.

Contributed by: Sun Xiaohui Dong Zijun

First reviewer: Lu Qiuyue

Second reviewer: Sun Xiaohui, Dong Zijun

Third reviewer: Zuo Yingzi