The United Nations has officially recognized China’s pioneering Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP) as part of its Decade of Ocean Science initiative, marking a major milestone in international deep-sea research. Spearheaded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, this ambitious program will coordinate exploration of Earth’s most extreme marine environments – the mysterious hadal zones between 6,000-11,000 meters deep that remain among the planet’s least understood ecosystems.
China’s leadership in hadal science has grown through remarkable technological achievements, including the historic 2016 dive to 10,000 meters in the Mariana Trench using the advanced Fendouzhe (Striver) manned submersible. The GHEP now expands this research into a truly global collaboration, uniting scientists from 14 nations to study trench geology, extreme lifeforms, and environmental conditions through shared expeditions and open data exchange. The program will establish international research hubs and provide specialized training, particularly supporting early-career scientists in this cutting-edge field.
“Understanding these untouched zones is crucial for both scientific discovery and sustainable ocean management,” said Dr. Du Mengran, a lead researcher at IDSSE. The GHEP’s comprehensive approach addresses key knowledge gaps about how life adapts to extreme pressure and darkness, while investigating the trenches’ role in global climate systems and potential for biotechnological breakthroughs. With UN endorsement, this initiative positions international cooperation as the foundation for responsible exploration of our planet’s final frontier.
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