Chinese scientist Guo Huadong on January 30 published an article on the website of the academic journal, Nature, calling on global scientists to build a digital Silk Road using big data.

Guo, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said in the article that sharing big data from satellite imagery and other earth observations in the regions covered by China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative was key to sustainability.

Guo underscored that the environments are diverse and fragile with various natural hazards in the regions.

He believes a combination of accurate, reliable and timely scientific observations of the state of terrestrial and marine ecosystems is essential -- from space, the air and on the ground.

Guo has been the chairman of the Digital Belt and Road Program which was initiated in 2016 by Chinese scientists in cooperation with experts from 19 countries and seven international organizations.

The aim of the Digital Belt and Road Program is to improve environmental monitoring, promote data sharing and support policymaking, Guo said.

In the article, Guo also invited more natural and social scientists to join the shared endeavor.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2018)