| the first meeting of CCICED phase two |
|
| the first meeting of CCICED phase two |
| ISSUE TIME |
1997-10-5 |
| MEETING THEME |
the first meeting of CCICED phase two |
| MEETING-PLACE |
Beijing |
| HOLD TATE |
1997-10-3 |
| FINISH DATE |
1997-10-5 |
| PICTURE |
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| MINUTES OF MEETING |
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CCICED Secretariat
The First Meeting of the Second Phase of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development was held in Beijing on October3-5, 1997. The Meeting was attended by 42 Chinese and international Council members and chaired by Chairman Dr. Song Jian, and Vice-Chairs Dr. Labelle, Professor Qu Geping and Mr. Gu Ming respectively.
The Meeting approved the new membership of the Council and the new Chairman-ship of Working Groups; presented an award for international cooperation on environment and development to the Chinese Council members of the First Phase; examined and discussed the work report of the Secretariat by the Secretary General; discussed and approved the Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure for the Second Phase of the Council; listened to and deliberated the work reports and work plans of the Environmental Economics Working Group, Energy Strategies and Technologies Working Group, Biodiversity Working Group, Environment and Trade Working Group, Pollution Control Working Group, Cleaner Production Working Group, Sustain able Agriculture Working Group and the Project Group of Environmental Protection and Economic Planning; Economic Planning; listened to presentational environment al conventions by the State Planning Commission, State Science and Technology Commission, State Economic and Trade Commission, National Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Forestry and the State Meteorological Administration, etc.; and unanimously approved the Council's recommendations to the Chinese Government. Leaders from the People's Government of Shandong province, Tibet Autonomous Region and Xiamen City, who attended the Meeting as special guests, briefed the Meeting on the local situation of economic development and environmental protection.
Chinese Premier Li Peng met with the Council members at the end of the Meeting, and made important remarks. On behalf of the Chinese Government, he expressed h is sincere thanks to all Council members for their work in the past five years, and his appreciation of the Council's recommendations to the Chinese Government. He recalled that the recently concluded Fifteen Congress of the Chinese Communist Party adopted the strategy of sustainable development and the strategy of vitalizing the country through science and technology; and pointed out that China would stick to the two strategies in the long run, and that issues of environment and development are not only attached importance to by the current government, but will continue to be so after the government reshuffle. China shall not, Premier Li said, develop its economy by means of destroying its resources and the environment upon which future generations will depend for their livelihood; nor s hall it allow the practice of taking treatment measures only after pollution has already occurred. The realization of the two fundamental transformations (i.e. the transformation from extensive economic growth pattern to an intensive one an d the transformation from extensive economic growth pattern to an intensive one and the transformation from planned economy to market economy) and the qualitative improvement of economic growth are both interconnected with environmental protection. On the subject of resources utilization, Premier Li mentioned that Chin a lays equal stress on energy development and energy saving, and has made considerable achievements in energy saving. He said that China attaches great importance to environmental legislation, and that targeted laws and regulations have been formulated in the prevention and control of the "Four Public Hazards" (i.e. waste water, waste gas, noise and solid wastes). In the rural areas, measures are currently under way to treat pollution caused by township and village industrial enterprises. In cities, progress has been made, with varying degrees, in raising gas supply rate, developing centralized heating systems, phasing out leaded gasoline, introducing classified bag packaging of garbage, and treating waste water. Efforts are also being made in some remote areas to combat desertification. Also, China has been making a point of increasing forest coverage, and has established 800 nature reserves.
Premier Li pointed out that China has not reached due levels in many aspects of environmental protection, and that law enforcement and supervision need to be further strengthened. As was stated by him, China's environmental protection should be in keeping with the new requirements emerging out of the country's modernization process. The Premier advisory role to the Chinese Government with their know ledge, expertise and expertise and experience.
At the Council Meeting, Chairman Dr. Song Jian reviewed the major progresses made by China in the field of environment and development, and paid tribute to the unique role of the Council as a high-level advisory body to provide policy recommendations to the Chinese Government. Dr. Song Jian elaborated his hope that the Council in the Second Phase would shift its focus from policy debate to more practical management system demonstrations and project demonstrations in the field of environment and development, so light of China's actual situations in the field o f environment and development, so that the policy recommendations proposed by the Council to the Chinese Government over the years could be put into practice and translated into more feasible and specific policy measures.
The Meeting also summarized the Council's work in the FIRST phase. The Council Proposed more than 40 recommendations to the Chinese Government in the First phase. These recommendations attracted great attention from the Chinese Government, and were channeled to various relevant departments for consideration and adoption, which is reflected in the progress China has made in such areas as environment al economics, energy strategies and policies, policies, pollution control and cleaner production, biodiversity protection, and environment and trade, etc.
The Meeting approved the establishment of a new working group on transport, and instructed the Secretariat Head Office and the Canadian Secretariat to facilitate the formation of the group.
The Meeting discussed and approved the work reports and future plans of the various Working Groups. The Working Groups are expected to make diagnosis of and carry out research and evaluations on issues of environment and development, propose creative resolutions, and conduct demonstrations with a view to seeking out feasible ways of popularization.
In order for the Council Members and Working Groups to better communicate with each other, share information and increase mutual understanding, the Meeting cal led for the establishment of internet connections for the Council. It was also suggested at the Meeting that a Publication Committee be established in order to disseminate the results of the work of the Council to the international community.
Recommendations were made at the Meeting to the Chinese Government. The Council hopes that Chinese Government could, in the process of implementing development plans to raise people's living standard, avoid the mistakes that were made by developed countries on environment, do its best to protect China's unique environment, and make greater contribution to sustainable development.
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| MEETING PROPOSING |
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
from the China Council for International Cooperation
on Environment and Development
Beijing, October 5, 1997
The first meeting of the second phase of the China Council took place in Beijing between 3 to 5 October. On the basis of its sixth year of experience, the Council draws attention to some fundamental points which underlie its present and future work.
First is Chinese endorsement of the strategy of sustainable development in the government's 9th Five-Year Plan and its Agenda 21 Paper on China's Population, Environment and Development in the 21st century. Sustainable development covers the entire spectrum of environmental issues, and takes account of population increase, degradation of land, pollution of water, changes in atmospheric chemistry, and destruction of biodiversity. Application of the principles of the Rio Declaration of 1992 is a long term process. It involves ensuring that the polluter pays, that due precaution is taken in time, and that environmental considerations are at the centre of decision making. Such a process needs an effective mechanism supported by legislation to bring together, improve, implement, and monitor environmental rules and regulations.
Next is recognition of the importance of China in the planetary environment, and the degree of its interdependence with the world community. The means by which China generates energy, conducts its industrial development, grows its food, manages its water, and looks after its natural heritage, is of concern not only to China but to the world as a whole. The character and existence of the Council reflects this concern. For its work it depends on resources from outside, and will need more such resources in the future.
Resources of this kind serve as catalysts. Through the work it has done, and through practical demonstration projects, the Council, with Chinese and international members working together, aims to help the Chinese government in its transition from a planned and centralized to a socialist market economy. The Council looks forward to the greater involvement of Chinese business enterprises and the development of a Chinese environmental industry, with corresponding research and training facilities. For that, more foreign investment and technology will be necessary on acceptable terms and conditions. The government should develop its use of fiscal instruments to provide incentives and disincentives, and to give signals to the market.
It is more difficult to raise funds to protect China's natural heritage than to do so for coping with problems of pollution. Yet the richness of China's diversity of life is unique, and the value of the natural services on which the economy depends is beyond price. The government should consider legislation to give effect to the three main goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity. More effective and better coordinated mechanisms of conservation are essential.
Little can be achieved without the active participation of ordinary citizens. The Council lays special emphasis on the need for a combination of education and persuasion from the authorities, and initiatives from local communities. Development and improvement of environmental legislation, rigorous respect for the law, and the means by which it is enforced, are vital. This applies as much to the management of business enterprises as anything else.
The Council is served by seven Working Groups which have submitted reports on environmental economics, energy strategies and technologies, protection of biodiversity, trade and environment, pollution control, cleaner production, and sustainable agriculture. The Council has decided to set up an eighth Working Group on transport. It is also associated with a task force, set up by the State Planning Commission and NEPA, on environmental protection and strategic national planning, which will look at institutional decision making.
Among the many recommendations made by the Working Groups, the Council draws attention to the following:
Environmental Economics
development of capacity within financial and planning agencies to cope with environmental issues, including use of fiscal instruments and environmental accounting;
further efforts to carry out price reform and determine true costs (including those of resource depletion and environmental impact) with means to ensure government intervention to avoid market failure;
applied environmental economics courses for staff of Environment Protection Bureaux (EPBs) throughout the country to include valuation methods; cost-effectiveness analysis; and pricing, taxation, and cost recovery options.
Energy Strategies
policies to save and make more efficient conversion and use of energy by encouraging the introduction of up to date technology;
increased development of renewable resources to reduce long term dependence on coal, with accompanying fiscal measures to favour use of renewables;
in the meantime introduction of technologies to make better use of fossil fuels, including natural gas, and to reduce the environmental impact with corresponding demonstration projects;
studies of such new technologies as that based on hydrogen, and exploration of the possibilities for underground storage of carbon dioxide.
Biodiversity
improved knowledge of taxonomic data through better pooling of information, production of identification guides, and promotion of systematics, with more training of professional taxonomists;
introduction of a fairer system of compensation whereby funds are transferred from down-stream agencies and sectors deriving large benefits from good water supplies, eco-tourism, flood control and conservation to under-financed agencies and local communities upstream whose development is limited by the need to preserve natural vegetation.
Trade and Environment
integration of environmental factors into foreign trade policies, with particular regard to the World Trade Organization and regional trade organizations;
strengthening of Chinese capacity to give effect to the Montreal Protocol on ozone depleting substances through better coordination of government agencies and better education and training of all concerned in both the private and public sectors: expenditure under the Protocol should not be restricted to procurement of foreign goods and expertise;
positive participation in Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) under the Framework Convention on Climate Change to enable China to attract more investment and technology, advance energy efficiency, and facilitate global limitation on carbon dioxide emissions.
Pollution Control
establish inter-city and inter-provincial Commissions to take responsibility for such environmental problems as acid rain in defined areas, and to strengthen water management systems in river basins.
Sustainable Agriculture
strengthen treatment on soil erosion and desertification, and build up organic agriculture;
introduce stronger measures to conserve and make best use of water;
study best means of achieving long term food sufficiency in China;
enhance the high yields already achieved in irrigated areas through greater attention to soil health care, water and pest management, and post-harvest technology;
give local communities, including farmers, incentives to conserve their natural environment, particularly water and soil, and increase their sense of commitment to it;
establish demonstration projects in specific areas;
study current marketing systems in grasslands;
give greater support to marketing and distribution of grass-fed livestock products.
Cleaner Production
promotion of cleaner methods of production both in Township Village Industrial Enterprises (TVIEs), and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) step by step.
The Council also considered a number of cross-cutting issues, including:
Climate change and the prospect for the Kyoto conference of the parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Council recommended full Chinese participation in negotiation of a package which dealt equitably with the very different economic circumstances of the participants. It also recalled the vulnerability of many countries, including China, to the adverse effects of human-induced climate change.
World Trade Organization and a possible Multilateral Agreement on Investment. The Council underlined the need for environmental considerations to be taken into better account. It hoped that China would be able to play a fuller part in international trade and investment matters.
Public education. The Council emphasized the need for full public awareness of the aims and activities of the Council.
For the future, the Council will lay particular emphases on the practical aspects of its work. It will also provide a forum for discussion of emerging issues, such as globalization, which could affect the development of China. It hopes that the Chinese government, in pursuing its development plans, thereby raising the living standards of its people, will be able to leapfrog over the mistakes of others, protect its unique environment, and increasingly make its own distinctive contribution to sustainable development. | |
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