Inventory of Environmental and Energy Work in China
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INVENTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY WORK IN CHINA In this sixth issue of the China Environment Series, the Inventory of Environmental and Energy Work in China has been updated and we have added many new nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and student groups to the Chinese section. Last year's inventory included a section with information from European, Australian, and Japanese governments on their projects in China, but this year we opted to present this information in feature boxes that have been scattered throughout the inventory. This inventory aims to paint a clearer picture of the patterns of aid, investment, and activism in environmental protection and energy efficiency projects in the People's Republic of China. The Chinese inventory section reveals a growing geographical diversity of green NGOs in China, as well as an increased variety of activism in registered and in university green groups. We highlight a total of 124 organizations and agencies in this inventory and provide information on 299 new projects (ongoing projects are listed in the inventory but not included in this total). The four inventory categories are listed below. Part I: United States Government Activities (11 agencies/organizations, 99 projects) p. 200 Part II: U.S. and International NGO Activities (22 organizations, 53 projects) p. 224 Part III: U.S. Universities and Professional Association Activities (11 institutions, 26 projects) p. 243 Part IV: Chinese and Hong Kong NGO Activities (54 organizations, 75 projects) p. 251 Chinese Government Organized NGOs (7 GONGOS, 10 projects) p. 270 Chinese Student Environmental Associations (19 organizations, 36 projects) p. 273 We are grateful to all of those in U.S. government agencies, representatives in foreign embassies, as well as U.S., international, and Chinese nongovernmental organizations and universities who generously took the time to compile and summarize their environmental and energy work in China. Timothy Hildebrandt (CES managing editor) and Ma Zhao (CES research assistant) deserve a round of applause for devoting countless hours to compiling, formatting, and proofreading this mountain of information. We have made every attempt to verify that the projects inventoried are actually taking place or soon will begin. Any updates, corrections, or inquiries regarding the inventory should be directed to Jennifer L. Turner (CES editor) at [email protected]. This inventory also can be viewed on the ECSP China Environment Forum Web site: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/cef. GLOSSARY ADB Asian Development Bank DOE U.S. Department of Energy EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency GEF Global Environment Facility GHG Greenhouse Gases LBNL Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (United States) MOA Ministry of Agriculture (China) MOF Ministry of Finance (China) MOST Ministry of Science and Technology (China) NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory (United States) SDRC State Development and Reform Commission (Formerly SDPC) (China) SEPA State Environmental Protection Administration (China) SETC State Economic Trade Commission (China) UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme Editor’s Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all currency noted in China Environment Series is in U.S. dollars. The current rate of exchange is approximately 8.28 Renminbi for one U.S. dollar. CHINA ENVIRONMENT SERIES · ISSUE 6 199 PART I. U.S. GOVERNMENT ACTIVITES PART I U.S. GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES BATTELLE-ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES UNIT (AISU) http://www.pnl.gov/china http://www.pnl.gov/aisu http://www.battelle.org Beijing Energy Efficiency Center (BECon) Focus: Energy Efficiency Research Partners: Energy Research Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), World Wildlife Fund, Department of Energy (DOE) Schedule: Initiated 1993, Ongoing BECon was established in 1993 in cooperation with three organizations—Battelle, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the World Wildlife Fund. Today, BECon has a fulltime staff of 12 professionals and many consultants. BECon is leading high-level market-driven energy-efficiency projects for the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme, and has contributed to many influential energy policy recommendations to the Chinese government. China Clean Energy Finance Facility Focus: Clean Energy Finance Partners: Blue Moon Fund, United Nations Foundation, several Chinese organizations Funding: Blue Moon Fund, United Nations Foundation Schedule: Initiated 2001, Completed July 2002 Battelle helped develop a proposal for the United Nations Foundation to establish a clean energy finance facility in China. The United Nations Foundation board approved the proposal in the summer of 2002 and initial work is now beginning in China under direction of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The facility aims to direct $50 million in Chinese and international investment in Chinese enterprises focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean energy business. (For more information, see the August 2002 press release at: http://www.unfoundation.org/ media_center/press). Chinese Environmental Project Finance Competition Focus: Environmental Finance Development Partners: Patricia Chernoff Charitable Trust, University of Maryland, Chinese universities, research institutes, and private companies Funding: Patricia Chernoff Charitable Trust Schedule: Initiated 2001, Completed October 2002 Battelle Memorial Institute received funding from the Patricia Chernoff Charitable Trust to sponsor 4 Chinese environmental fellows. Each fellow competed to win the award and work with AISU staff to develop their ideas for projects to help solve energy and environmental problems in China. Visiting fellows from Shanghai (2) and Beijing (2) each stayed at AISU for 3 months to develop their project ideas, seek financing, and learn new skills. AISU staff and its partner, the University of Maryland, provided ad hoc training and logistical support to enable the winning applicants to develop their project ideas. Economic and Environmental Modeling Focus: Energy Research Partners: Beijing Energy Efficiency Center, Energy Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Development Research Center of the State Council, Qinghua University Funding: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Schedule: Ongoing Economic, energy, and environmental modeling will become increasingly important in China as market reforms continue to reshape the economy. Policymakers will need realistic models to explore energy and climate change policy options and invest wisely in economic development expenditures. The EPA is supporting a series of modeling workshops to share information on computable general equilibrium, optimization, and hybrid models in order to: (1) analyze potential scenarios aimed at reducing climate change and pollution mitigation costs, and (2) build a community of Chinese and international modelers. 200 CHINA ENVIRONMENT SERIES · ISSUE 6 Expanding Natural Gas Utilization in China Focus: Energy Policy Partners: EPA, Chinese State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC), University of Petroleum-Beijing Schedule: Initiated 1999, Completed April 2002 Natural gas has many advantages over coal, yet historically natural gas has played a minor role in China’s energy sector. Chinese policymakers are developing a renewed interest in natural gas as a way to fuel growth without the environmental and health impacts of coal combustion. To boost natural gas availability and market demand, a number of barriers must be removed to make it more competitive. This study—one of the ten agreements reached in 1999 between the EPA and the Chinese government—is now complete (bilingual publication is available at: http://www.pnl.gov/china). DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE http://www.usda.gov Foreign Agriculture Service Research and Scientific Exchanges Department Projects (FAS/RSED) Ongoing Projects (CES5): Oregon Seeds Project China Cornell-University Consortium Component I SARM Related (UCCA) Focus: Agricultural Research Partners: U.S. Side: Cornell University, Universities of Maryland, California, and Wisconsin, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Penn State, North Carolina State, and IDEALS, USDA. PRC Side: China Agricultural, Nanjing Agricultural, Huazhong Agricultural, SW Agricultural, South China Agricultural Shenyang Agricultural, and Zhejiang Universities; NW Science and Technology University of Agricultural & Forestry; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Schedule: Initiated 2001, Ongoing The consortium of U.S. and Chinese agricultural universities promotes the advancement of agricultural research and exchange in both counties. Objectives of the consortium include: (1) creating specific ways to develop collaborative agricultural research, education and outreach projects; (2) crafting opportunities that involve cooperation among partners to address practical needs of agriculture where there is an expectation for making a difference; and (3) building a network for empowering significant personnel exchanges. These objectives will be reached through training courses, sabbatical leaves, short-term visits, seminars/workshops, summer institutes for undergraduate students in both countries, possible joint agricultural MBA program, as well as joint research, education and outreach centers. UCCA presented a WTO Technical Seminar in the summer 2002 and a Natural Resource Seminar in the fall of 2002. China Ministry of Water