China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development

Måns Lönnroth

Thank you, Minister Xie.

I will be very brief. And Let me start by saying that I am very honoured to be appointed and elected as vice chairman of this unique institution – the China Council.

I think it’s fair to say China Council has had ten years of very good work and very good experiences, successful work with great importance, with recommendations for the Chinese government. I think the coming five years should be seen in the light of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and above all, for the plans of China for the year 2020. With present growth rate and present plans, there will be yet another China in 2010. Of course the growth rate implies that Chinese gross national product will double in ten years, and with the existing growth rate, for another ten years, there will be yet two more Chinas in 2020. So over these twenty years period from 2000 to 2020, we will see three more Chinas in terms of economic impact. And that is enormous development with enormous unprecedent importance for the whole population of China, but also unprecendent challenge, and an opportunity for sustainable development. And the road China takes and also tracks China will follow will have enormous importance in contribution also for the world sustainable development as a whole.

I think it’s fair to say as China goes as the rest of the world will go in terms of sustainable development.

And I would look forward very much to work together with you in the Council and also to work with Minister Xie, and of course with Vice Chairman Mr. Good.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman