On March 7, 2024, the Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLRSDM, CAS) hosted the "Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series 96" at the C602 conference room of the the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(IGSNRR, CAS). At the invitation of Director Yansui Liu, IGU President Michael Meadows visited the laboratory for academic exchange. Academician Michael Meadows is primarily engaged in scientific research in the fields of environmental evolution, the Anthropocene environment, human-environment relationships, and sustainable development. He has published over 250 academic papers in major international academic journals and holds a high reputation and influence in the international geographical community. More than 50 faculty and students, including Associate Director Mingxing Chen, Researchers JieyongWang, Yurui Li , Associate Researchers Yuheng Li, Zhengjia Liu, Yongsheng Wang, Tao Song, Zhi Cao, Yuanzhi Guo, attended the lecture. Director Yansui Liu presided over the welcome ceremony for Academician Michael Meadows, emphasizing that the comprehensive geographical research focusing on the Anthropocene background is crucial for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and helps reevaluate the impact of human activities on the Earth's environment. 

　　Subsequently, Academician Michael Meadows delivered an academic lecture titled "Geographies of Climate Change, Disasters, and Sustainable Development in the Anthropocene". The lecture was divided into five parts where Academician Michael Meadows introduced the origin, characteristics, and crises of the Anthropocene, reflecting on the nature and scale of human impacts on the environment through examples from China and other regions. He comprehensively discussed the disasters and challenges brought by global climate change to natural ecosystems by reviewing the frequency and intensity of various extreme events. He quantitatively analyzed the effects and threats of climate change on environmental risks, livelihoods of vulnerable populations, and prospects for sustainable development. Finally, Academician Michael Meadows emphasized the need to enhance technological methods and international regional cooperation to leverage the significant potential of geography in advancing sustainable development goals. 

　　Academician Michael Meadows' lecture sparked widespread interest among the audience, leading to lively discussions on the scientific implications of the Anthropocene, as well as geographical research on climate, disasters, and sustainable development in the context of the Anthropocene. Director Yansui Liu and other attendees engaged in in-depth discussions with Academician Michael Meadows on topics such as the reasons for the Anthropocene, pathways to achieving sustainable development goals, environmental risks, and vulnerabilities. Director Yansui Liu expressed warm gratitude to Academician Michael Meadows for his visit and expressed a commitment to strengthening academic cooperation, conducting field investigations together, and providing a broad research platform for future comprehensive geographical studies. 

　　The collaboration between Academician Michael Meadows and the Key Laboratory has a long history. In 2017, then Secretary-General of IGU, Academician Michael Meadows, visited the laboratory, inaugurating the International Geographical Union Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering (IGU-AGLE) initiated by Researcher Yansui Liu, and delivered an academic lecture titled "Geomorphology and Global Change: Landscapes of the Anthropocene." He then visited the "China Precision Poverty Alleviation and County Development Research Demonstration Base" in Fuping County, Hebei Province. In 2020, Academician Michael Meadows participated in the establishment ceremony of the "Belt and Road Initiative" Poverty Reduction and Development Alliance and the "Global Sustainable Poverty Reduction and Development" academic seminar held by the Key Laboratory in Lincang, Yunnan. He delivered keynote speeches and academic lectures. In 2023, Academician Michael Meadows attended the "Sustainable Poverty Reduction and Rural Revitalization Science Forum, Beijing" and the "Ecological Industrialization and Comprehensive Rural Revitalization International Forum, Hanzhong," organized by the Key Laboratory, where he delivered keynote speeches and academic lectures.

Director Yansui Liu presided over the welcome ceremony

Academician Michael Meadows delivered an academic lecture

　Laboratory faculty and students attended the academic presentation

　　 Michael Meadows engaged in discussions with laboratory faculty and students

　　 Michael Meadows answered questions and provided explanations to the students

Academician Michael Meadows took photos with some of the participants