September , 2015 Issue 1 of 2015 Publisher: CCICED Secretariat Feedback Link CCICED Activities ■ CCICED Roundtable 2015 On May 18-19, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) held its 2015 Roundtable meeting in Shanghai, inviting council members, former research project co-chairs, renowned scholars, industry leaders, donor representatives, and government officials studying at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong (CELAP), to sit 1 together and discuss China’s green transformation. “China’s economic growth has entered the stage of “New Normal”, which is accompanied by severe environmental challenges,” said Mr. Li Ganjie, CCICED Secretary General and Vice Minister of Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). “How to deal with the relationship between environment and development under this “New Normal” puts to the test our governance skills and our capacity to serve the people.” Li noted Beijing’s new focus on “greenization” and recent actions to build an ecological civilization, pointing out that effective greenization requires not only national initiatives such as legislation, institutional arrangements and policy guidance, but also reforms and innovations at all levels of government. He stressed the importance of raising public awareness through environmental education campaigns, which will bolster progress towards ecological civilization goals. Under the theme of “Modernization of National Governance and Green Transformation”, this year’s Roundtable Meeting allowed the CCICED to share its policy recommendations on eco-environmental redlining, media and public participation policies to promote China’s green development, green accounting and environmental performance evaluation, as well as green supply chains. It also offered local officials opportunities to raise both questions and challenges, and to share their experience in greening China’s development. ■ International Advisory Meeting on Environment and Development for China’s 13th Five-Year Plan The International Advisory Meeting on Mr. Li Ganjie, CCICED Secretary General Environment and Development for China’s and MEP Vice Minister, and Mr. Achim 13th Five-Year Plan was held in Beijing on Steiner, Executive Director of the United June 9-10. Mr. Chen Jining, Environmental Nations Environment Programme and Protection Minister and Council Executive CCICED Vice Chairperson co-chaired the Vice Chairperson addressed meeting meeting. A dozen international experts participants. including Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, European Commission Vice President and Mr. Henry how to deal with the challenges China is Paulson who heads the Paulson Institute, were likely to face during the 13th Five Year Plan. actively involved in the discussions. The They stated China should push for more meeting culminated in a meeting with ambitious long-term goals; encourage the China’s Vice Premier Mr. Zhang Gaoli. development of green industry and green technology to promote green transformation Chen pointed out that since the 18th Party and green development, strengthen Congress, President Xi Jinping has issued new government’s green procurement, and ideas and requirements. President Xi stressed integrate green development and that the environment is essential to people’s environmental protection into urbanization 2 livelihood; green mountains are tantamount to plans. Some participants were of the view that beauty, blue sky brings happiness, and clean China was bound to become the center of waters and green mountains are like global green finance. They also suggested that mountains rich in gold and silver. President Xi when implementing the “One Belt One Road” concludes people need to cherish the Strategy, China should closely cooperate on environment as they value their own eyes, and greenizaton with countries along this new Silk nurture it as they do life itself. This reflects Road and play a more important role in global the determination of the Chinese government economic development and environmental to promote ecological progress and protect the development. During this next Five-Year Plan environment. The next five years will be and beyond, industrialization remains one of critical to the success in protecting the the top economic development priorities. Thus, environment. The Chinese government will China’s concept of green industrialization take more aggressive measures to promote should be shared with a greater number of green, circular and low-carbon development, countries. strengthen environmental protection, and strive to restore harmony between the environment and the economy in order to meet the targets of environmental quality that are part of China’s commitment to create an all-around well-off society. Chen also stated he hoped meeting participants will continue to support China’s environment and development, and make greater contributions to promoting sustainable development in China and globally. Meeting participants shared their views on ■ Think Tank Symposium in Washington D.C. On 22 June, the CCICED’s Environment transformation and development. In the and Development Think Tank Symposium context of goals and tasks set for ecological was held at Washington D.C.. Mr. Li Ganjie, civilization and the needs for green MEP Vice Minister and CCICED Secretary development, think tanks face new General, as well as Ms. Jane Nishida, Acting expectations as well as good development Assistant Administrator for International and opportunities. Tribal Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), took part in the event. The EPA’s Jane Nishida outlined the important role American think tanks play in Addressing the Symposium, Li reviewed ensuring decision-making is evidence-based environment and development processes in promoting key concepts and initiatives. She China, emphasizing the CCICED’s role and promised to support deeper cooperation the impact it has had on policy making. He among the two countries’environment and stated that China has entered a crucial stage of develoopment think tanks. She hoped for concerted US and China cooperation to Resources Institute, CCICED, Chinese innovate and solve common problems. Academy for Environmental Planning and MEP’s Policy Research Center for This symposium was a first for the Environment and Economy participated in CCICED and its American counterparts. this symposium. Participants discussed think tank development, the role they play in government decision making and their influence on the public, the opportunities and challenges they face and future cooperation opportunities. As one of 3 the events held on the margins of the seventh session of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), this symposium received strong support from Chinese and American government. About 40 officials, experts and scholars from MEP, EPA, World ● CCICED Policy Studies ■ Special Policy Study on Synergic Control of Climate Change and Air Pollution The joint Inception and Second Working Meeting of the Special Policy Study on Synergic Control of Climate Change and Air Pollution was held on June 5 in Shanghai. Meeting participants reviewed domestic and international policies, situation analysis, technology assessment and policy recommendations of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and non-road emission sources. Both international Chinese experts called for incorporating SLCPs and non-road emission sources into the national pollution control plans and creating mechanisms for emission reduction synergies. Mr. Hao Jiming, Chinese Co-Chair, noted that synergies can be achieved in addressing climate change and air pollution, which will bring economic and ecological benefits. ■ Task Force on Rule of Law and Ecological Civilization The Inception and First Joint Working Meeting of the Task Force on Rule of Law and Ecological Civilization was held on June 3 in Beijing. Mr. Xu Qinghua, CCICED Deputy Secretary General, addressed meeting participants. The Task Force will focus research on five aspects: (1) environmental legislation needed to support ecological civilization; (2) environmental law enforcement; (3) environmental justice; (4) national compliance; and (5) proposing the strategy for promoting the legal progress of ecological civilization from a macro and overall perspective. The Task Force will complete its initial report in October 2015 and share findings at the November 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of CCICED and final conclusions during the 206 AGM. ■ Special Policy Study on Ecological Risk Management The Second Working Meeting of the Special Policy Study (SPS) on Ecological Risk Management was held on July 3-4, 2015 in Nanjing. Discussed were the overall progress of the SPS, including ecological risk classification, trend and objectives, and systems, mechanisms and policies for environmental risk management. Ms. Fang Li, CCICED Assistant Secretary General, said that good results are emerging, thanks to the joint efforts of Chinese and international experts. In the context of the newly revised Environmental Protection Law, Fang noted that the project team needs to identify China's potential ecological risks based on data collection and analysis, and make policy recommendations on ecological risk management that take into account both international best practice and domestic realities. ■ Task Force on Green Finance Reform and Promoting Green Transformation On 11th July, 2015, the 3rd Working Meeting for the Task Force on Green Finance Reform and Promoting Green Transformation was successfully held in