Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) and its HUSS Climate Change Response Project Team (Director Kang Yoon Hee) conducted the “East Asia Climate Solutions 2026: Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces, China” program from June 22 to 28—a 6-night, 7-day trip—in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, China.

Four faculty members and 14 Kookmin University students participated in the program. The participants investigated the impact of China’s carbon neutrality policies and its renewable energy industries—including solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, and wind power—on the local economy and climate change response. The students worked in groups to document their daily activities and compile case studies of climate response initiatives in each region.

The first leg of the itinerary took place in Beijing and Dunhuang, Gansu Province. After visiting Jingshan Park, the participants traveled to Dunhuang, where they explored Ming Sha Mountain and Yue’a River to examine the characteristics of the desert climate and the local environment. Field research on renewable energy was conducted at the Dunhuang Solar Power Exhibition Park. The park serves as a demonstration base for renewable energy generation with a capacity of over 1 million kW and covers an area of approximately 254 km². The students observed a solar thermal power generation system that uses heliostats to concentrate sunlight onto a solar tower, where heated molten salt generates steam to produce electricity.

They then visited the site of the “My Forest (Ant Forest)” project, a citizen-participation initiative to combat desertification. This project converts the low-carbon activities of app users into virtual energy, which is then linked to actual tree planting in desert regions. The students examined the operational structure of this desertification prevention project, which is carried out through collaboration between a digital platform, companies, and environmental organizations.

In Yumen, Gansu Province, they visited the Yumen Wind Power Tourism Scenic Area, a facility dedicated to renewable energy education and hands-on experiences. Yumen operates numerous wind farms by leveraging its unique topography, where winds intensify in mountainous areas. The participants observed the transition of the region’s industry—formerly centered on oil—toward renewable energy sectors such as wind and solar power.

At Zhuanquan Vocational and Technical College, they visited the New Energy Engineering Practice Training Center to observe wind power technology education and training programs for professionals in the renewable energy sector. Through this, they examined examples of how the energy industry transition is linked to the relevant educational system. Subsequently, the participants traveled to Xi’an by high-speed rail and visited the Terracotta Army Museum, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, the Xi’an Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and the Xi’an Museum. At the Xi’an Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, they examined examples of how the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, urban development, and eco-friendly urban planning are being advanced in tandem.

Kang Byeong-min, a student participating in the program, said, “Through the Xi’an Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, I saw how eco-friendly urban planning is being pursued while preserving historical heritage,” adding, “I was able to observe firsthand the relationship between historical and cultural heritage and sustainable urban planning.”

This program was conducted as a field-based interdisciplinary education initiative to investigate China’s approaches to addressing climate change, including solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, and wind power generation; desertification prevention; and eco-friendly urban planning. Based on the results of their field surveys, the participating students analyzed the interconnections between regional energy policies, industrial structures, and environmental issues.

Meanwhile, as the lead institution of the HUSS Environmental Consortium, Kookmin University is promoting interdisciplinary education that transcends the boundaries between universities and academic disciplines under the theme of “Coexistence and Mutual Prosperity in the Era of the Climate Crisis,” in collaboration with Duksung Women’s University, Ulsan University, Inha University, and Chosun University. The university is committed to cultivating future-oriented humanities and social sciences professionals equipped with problem-solving skills and interdisciplinary thinking.

△ Site visit to a 100 MW molten salt solar power plant as part of the East Asia Climate Solutions 2026 program