Dr. Lijing Cheng is a leading climate scientist whose work has profoundly advanced our understanding of the Earth’s oceans and their role in the global climate system. After earning his PhD in 2014 from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), he has continued his research as a full professor at IAP/CAS, focusing on ocean heat content, energy balance, and systematic errors in ocean observations.

His pioneering studies on historical changes in ocean heat content (OHC) and Earth’s energy budget have provided the scientific community with a clearer picture of how oceans respond to climate change. By leading global efforts in developing advanced techniques for data quality control, bias correction, and gridded analysis, Dr. Cheng delivers high-quality datasets that are vital for climate science, adaptation, and mitigation worldwide.

Dr. Cheng’s expertise has been recognized at the highest international levels: he is a lead author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere, as well as the United Nations World Ocean Assessment. His research directly supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), equipping policymakers with the knowledge needed to address climate risks and build resilient strategies for the future.