Secretary General of CCICED

Nov. 12, 2006

Respected Vice-chairs, distinguished Council Members and experts,

As entrusted by the Bureau, I’d like to brief you on the overall preliminary considerations of CCICED Phase IV for your reference and deliberation.

1. The Basic Background for the Future Work of CCICED

The following aspects deserve our special attention concerning the basic background for the future work of CCICED:

First, the last 15 years since 1992 witnesses the most radical transformation for China in social and economic development. China has maintained the annual GDP growth rate of around 8~9%, and the aggregated GDP volume in 2005 reached more than 2 trillion US$ with per capita GDP standing at 1,700. However, during this period, the rapid economic development has brought about ever-mounting pressure to resources and the environment, and China is still encountered by the great challenge on the proper handling of the relationship between development and the environment as well the promotion of sustainable development.

Second, the past 15 years is also a period of ever-strengthening of globalization and the enhancement for the interaction of China and global economy, trade, development and environment with its accession into the World Trade Organization. Under the global context of such issues of climate change and the degradation of biodiversity remaining grave, China has been shouldering more and more obligations and responsibilities on global environmental issues while actively participating in and implementing a range of MEAs.

Third, the senior officials of China are soberly-minded that China is now at a critical stage for its development. In this connection, they have put forward the guidelines for the implementation of scientific outlook on development, the establishment of resource-saving, environmentally-friendly society and the building of a harmonious society in a bid to promote the balanced development between man and nature. China has already laid down the development goal for building a well-off society by 2020 and will achieve this goal through the implementation of a series of Five-year Plans.

Fourth, the Chinese government has maintained to stimulate the coordinated development between economy and environment through the acceleration of the Three Transformations, namely the transformation of preferring economic growth to environmental protection to the equal emphasis on both; the transformation of environmental protection lagging behind economic growth to the keeping of environmental protection and economic development in pace; the transformation of mainly resorting to administrative instruments in environmental protection to the comprehensive adoption of legal, economic, technological and other necessary administrative approaches in resolving environmental problems. China’s environment and development undertaking will enter into a major “strategic transformation stage” in the next one or two decades, and China will gradually step into a new phase of optimized economic growth through environmental protection.

To this end, CCICED Phase IV must take into account the tremendous change triggered by the social-economic development of China in the past 15 years and the ever-growing interaction between China and the world in terms of environment and development. Besides, it must start from this background to carry out necessary reform and innovation closely centered upon the policy requirements of China’s environment and development.

2. The Working Goals and Tasks for CCICED Phase IV

In line with the requirement presented by the new situation, CCICED Phase IV will set the building of harmonious society, the promotion of historic change of environmental protection and the implementation of sustainable development and the providing of strategic advice and policy recommendations as its overarching goal; and draft major policy recommendations and early policy warnings, stimulate the further integration of economic development and environmental protection and fulfill the win-win situation of sustained growth of national economy and continuous betterment of environmental quality of China amid its efforts to create a cleaner and safer future featuring sustainable development for both China and the world at large in light of the building of a well-off society in an all-round way in 2020 as well as a series of social-economic development Five-Year Plans. The specific points are as follows:

(1) providing strategic advice, policy recommendations as well as early policy warnings mainly from the perspectives of securing the sustainable economic development of China, environmental protection and betterment of China, guaranteeing the long-term supply and security of energy and natural resources and the promotion of the harmonious development between man and nature.

(2) Offering advice to the Chinese government on major decision-making concerning environment and development and assess the economic, social and environmental impact of such decision-making.

(3) Providing international experience in the arena of environmental and development in the new context of globalization, informationalization and technology innovation and facilitating the introduction of similar successful experience of China to other nations around the world.

(4) Building the capacity of China in participating related negotiations on international plans and international agreements of environmental protection and helping decision-makers at all levels raise their decision-making awareness on sustainable development.

(5) Providing advice and support to encouraging the efforts from the general public to understanding and participating in environmental protection; helping decision-makers at various levels raise their awareness and capability in making democratic and scientific decisions.

CCICED should persist in serving the state leaders of China and governmental departments in the format of an efficient international advisory body by providing them with proactive, strategic and forewarning policy recommendations in the realm of environment and development and working as a crucial dialogue platform for sharing successful and failure stories of both China and other countries over environment and development.

3. Major Work Fields for CCICED in the Future

The Chinese and International Experts of the Task Force on China’s Environment and Development Review and Prospect established this year have made their respective evaluation on the policy recommendations CCICED having made to the Chinese government ever since its establishment in 1992 and identified some fields yet to be fully explored by CCICED from the angles of participators and observers, which have all provided important reference for determining new research areas for the future work of CCICED.

In this connection, CCICED Phase IV will initiate the policy research work targeting long-term and stable development and coordinated development of China and the interactive relationship between China’s development and global environment and development issues accommodating for its new social-economic backdrop and the change of the situation based on the summary and continuation of the fruits, policy recommendations and successful experience of the foregoing three Phases of CCICED.

The experts also set down some major areas regarding the future work of CCICED including the environmental and development policies concerning the building of a harmonious society; the selection of long-term strategies for energy and environment including the countermeasures on climate change, national ecological security strategy and eco-service as well as integrated management of ecosystem; technologies innovation in pollution control; environment and public health; policies on sustainable trade as well as sustainable consumption and investment; sustainable marine environment; economic policies in environmental protection; environmental solutions in the development of new countryside; long-standing strategies for China’s implementation in International Environmental Agreements; public participation issue; women and environmental protection; environmental protection policies in poverty alleviation; etc.

The foregoing areas are just the potential field priorities for the future work of CCICED, we are also expecting more comments and suggestions from you Council Members and Experts.

4. Work Requirements and Mechanism Innovation of CCICED Phase IV

CCICED has accumulated a lot of wonderful experience by the work done over the last 15 years. In the new times, it’s highly necessary for us to carry out preemptive planning, reform and innovation on the development of CCICED.

(1) The work of CCICED should be more closely linked to the actual needs of the Chinese government

The original intention for the establishment of CCICED is the conduction of work in line with the policy requirements on China’s environment and development. CCICED must unfold its future research work closely centered on major potential problems to be encountered in the area of environment and development for China. Our policy research work must closely follow the set of major strategic deployments maintained by the Chinese government, study the problems that may arise in the implementation of these major deployments and map out the corresponding policy recommendations and early policy pre-warnings in a bid to fully play the role of CCICED as a high-profile policy advisory body for the Chinese government.

(2) The working mechanism of CCICED requires upgrade and innovation

CCCIED Phase IV must carry out its work by making bold innovations to maintain its vitality based on learning the experience accumulated during the last 15 years. In specific, diversified forms must be taken in policy research mechanisms, and the professionalism and work efficiency of experts must be heightened. Further improvement should also be made regarding the organization, fund using, quality of research results, etc. Meanwhile, the policy research work should be conducted taking great consideration of the research foundation and resources both at home and aboard, and the policy recommendations must keep its feature of independence.

CCICED should further augment its cooperation with various national government, NGOs and civil societies over policy research programs on China’s environment and development and the cooperation with other well-known governments and NGOs, energetically participate in major domestic and international environmental and development events, expand cooperation scope and increase the efforts in cooperation and exchange.

(3) The impact of the policy recommendations of CCCIED should be broadened

CCICED should adopt more effective mechanisms to ensure that all the departments within the Chinese government and local governments can have more access and take more active efforts in participation, enable decision-makers at all levels to understand its policy recommendations, advance the widespread dissemination, application and materialization of these recommendations and continue and expand the impact of CCICED over the decision-making process of the Chinese government on environment and development.

The officials and related departments of the Chinese government will listen to the comments and suggestions of both Chinese and International Council Members and Experts through appropriate channels as before. CCICED will also unveil all kinds of roundtables, seminars and training courses and invite various stakeholders to participate in its activities with the view of disseminating and exchange the policy research results of CCICED in a broader scope.

The policy recommendations and reviews of CCICED can take more advantages of the means of publicity including the press to all social sectors apart from the channels already employed. CCICED will also offer active support to and participate in the training programs targeting decision-makers at all levels to increase their decision-making awareness in on sustainable development.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Chinese government has highly valued the work done by CCICED and held high expectations for its future development. The past 15 years signifies the great endeavor and contribution CCICED has made to the environment and development process of China, and we are also expecting that all of you can continue to offer good advice and suggestions to CCICED and dedicate your enthusiasm and wisdom. To my belief, CCICED Phase IV will surely attain fresh and sound growth under the support of the Chinese government and international organizations, the attention from the international community and the concerted efforts of numerous domestic and international personages.

Thank you.