In November 2021, the university established the Ecological Environment Research Center, which is dedicated to research and education in ecological conservation and restoration.

Aligned with CQJTU’s commitment to advancing Xi Jinping’s thought on eco-civilization and supporting primary national strategic goals such as ecological conservation, the “Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality” goals, and the establishment of a leading transportation nation, the center is expected to contribute to the nation’s high-quality development, CQJTU’s distinctive and high-level growth, and continued expansion and advancement of the university’s new engineering disciplines.

The CQJTU’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Development outlines the main direction for advancing ecological research and key fields of ecological conservation. Committed to the philosophy of prioritizing eco-environmental conservation and pursuing green development, the plan focuses on addressing major national needs, including Western Development and Environmental Conservation.

It emphasizes research areas such as desert soilization for ecological restoration and ecological conservation through the optimization of land transportation while fostering emerging interdisciplinary programs and strengthening talent cultivation in the fields of eco-environmental protection and conservation. These efforts aim to contribute to building a beautiful China and advancing Chongqing’s green and eco-friendly industries.

The center leverages former university-level research platforms like the Desert Ecology Institute and provincial-level platforms such as the Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Desert Ecological Restoration. It gathers together academic resources from the School of Civil Engineering and the College of River and Ocean Engineering at CQJTU, integrating faculty expertise, teaching facilities, and research platforms. The center aims to develop interdisciplinary talent teams, advance scientific research and platform construction, and cultivate emerging interdisciplinary programs.

The main tasks of the center include managing and maintaining the development of CQJTU’s Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Desert Ecological Restoration, Tencent-CQJTU Joint Laboratory for Desert Ecology Research, and additional university-level or higher research platforms to be established in alignment with the Center’s core research directions; forming innovation academic teams; organizing R&D activities, and pushing forward domestic and overseas academic exchanges.

To make contributions to China’s ecological civilization goals and carbon neutrality strategy, the center will push forward breakthroughs in the application of desert soilization technology, contributing to ecological restoration and ecological carbon sequestration.