The fourth session of the "Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation (CNEST)" Frontier Seminar Series was successfully held at Tsinghua University’s Institute for Carbon Neutrality on April 14. Professor William Bloss, Vice President and Head of the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, delivered a lecture titled “Air Pollution, Trees, and Carbon: From Atmospheric Chemistry to Future Forests.”

Prior to the lecture, Yang Bin, Vice Chair of the Tsinghua University Council, met with Professor Bloss to discuss research priorities, international collaboration, advances in carbon neutrality studies, and joint talent development. Both sides expressed strong expectations for future cooperation under the CNEST multilateral initiative.

During the lecture, Professor Bloss presented his team’s findings on the critical role of trees in absorbing methane, particularly through the mechanism of methane uptake by woody surfaces. His research provides new evidence clarifying the importance of trees in the global methane budget and their potential as net sinks for greenhouse gases, highlighting the significant climate mitigation potential of forest conservation and restoration.

The session was chaired by Professor Lu Xi, Assistant Dean of the Institute. Faculty and students from Tsinghua University, Nanjing University, and other institutions participated actively in the discussion. Professor Lu presented a commemorative plaque to Professor Bloss on behalf of the organizers.

The CNEST Frontier Seminar Series is hosted by the CNEST Multilateral Cooperation Program and the World Carbon Neutrality Society (preparatory), and organized by Tsinghua’s Institute for Carbon Neutrality. It aims to invite leading global experts to share cutting-edge insights on carbon neutrality and energy system transformation.