The UNESCO Chair Stepwise Ecological Restoration of Watersheds (SEROW) has been launched at North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (NCWU). The inauguration coincided with Earth Day, and the Chair was officially inaugurated at the Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment Congress in Zhengzhou on April 22, 2026.

Changwei Qin, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO; Academician Peng Cui; Academician Yanxin Wang; Zhiming Feng, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Natural Resources; Zuyi Xia, Secretary-General of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences; and Professor Junguo Liu jointly unveiled the Chair’s inaugural plaque at the end of the first morning session of the Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment Congress.

As the first UNESCO Chair in the natural sciences established in Henan Province, SEROW marks a milestone for international cooperation in hydrological and ecological sciences.

During the inaugural ceremony, Secretary-General Qin extended his warm congratulations and noted that the Chair is grounded in China’s water governance practices and will leverage Chinese expertise to tackle global ecological challenges. He also expressed hope that the Chair will strengthen cooperation between China and UNESCO and enhance its international influence in ecological restoration.