Minutes of the Phase B – Implementation Workshop

In general both consortia agree to continue the fruitful and joint cooperation and apply for a Phase B to their respective funding organisations.

• Overall goals of Phase B are prevention, extinction and monitoring of coal seam fires as well as policy support, training and scientific dissemination of newly derived knowledge.
• Users of the project results will be Government, Industry, Fire Fighters, NGOs, Public and others.
• A Joint Project Office in Beijing shall be set up and staffed by both consortia to support smooth and efficient interaction between all participants. It will be located at Beijing Normal University (BNU). Main task of the office will be operational day to day project work, correspondence, support of translation of documents, documentation and reporting as well as data and information exchange. Both sides seek support for this from their respective funding agencies.
• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM/Kyoto Protocol): Special attention will be given to create the scientific basis for political advice in the context of CDM activities.
• Common test areas: Extinction related research and practical experiments will be conducted in Wuda, Gulaben and Ruqigou. Individual fire sites will be selected and agreed upon jointly by both sides at the beginning of Phase B. It must be ensured that there will be significant fire fighting activities within the duration of the project.
• Capacity Building and Staff Exchanges are very important components of Phase B. They will be conducted in the form of on-site trainings, training in China and Germany, summer schools and staff exchanges. Both sides shall seek institutional and funding support for the exchange of staff and special training programs. The German side will support Chinese applications to funding organisations (such as DAAD, EU, UNESCO, etc.). It is encouraged to arrange staff exchanges between partner organisations on an individual basis.
• An International Conference shall be held during the last year of Phase B.
• Further scientific and technical details were discussed in working groups on monitoring by remote sensing and on extinction. Technical minutes are being prepared.