The third discussion of the series on China's Environment was held on
Sept. 15 in the George Washington University. Participants included
representatives from IFCE and PACE.
Speaker Song Li, program officer of the Global Environment Facility,
reviewed the progress of Kyoto Protocol in the efforts of combating
global climate change and China's improvement in the area of energy
efficiency. She suggests that, while Kyoto Protocol doesn't establish
binding emission limits from developing countries, the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) can generate emission credits that can be
traded between developed and developing countries. Song Li was formerly
in charge of the Environmental Law Division of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the People's Republic of China. She acknowledges in the
discussion that China hasn't started to establish a set of environmental
laws which will bring China's emission standard closer to the Kyoto
Protocol.
Lixin Wang, the other speaker in the discussion, offered a detailed look
at the enforcement of environmental laws enforcement in a local level.
In Shenzhen, where Wang is a director of a district Environmental
Protection Agency, the local government has passed its own laws
governing environmental protection, a privilege rarely shared by other
counties or municipalities.
Jackie Luo
Ms. Li Song was a former director for the Environmental Law Division of
the Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's
Republic of China. Ms. Song will discuss certain aspects of
the climate change issues in China. Then, Mr. Lixin Wang, a Ph.D.
from Qinghua University in Beijing and a visiting scholar at the World Bank,
will provide a detailed account of enforcing environmental protection laws
and
regulations in Shenzhen, one of China's earliest special economic zones.
The discussion series on China's environment is jointly sponsored by the
following organizations:
1)International Fund for China's Environment (IFCE)
2)Professional Association for China's Environment (PACE)
3)China Academic Link (CAL)
4)George Washington University
5)New World Times
Please R.S.V.P. to luo.associates@erols.com. For further information,
please contact Jacqueline Luo at 301-610-7456.
China's Environment Seminar Series: No. 2
Environmental Security in Pacific Rim Countries and US/China Cooperation
Summary
Discussion of "Environmental Security in Pacific Rim Countries and US/China
Cooperation" was held in the Elliott School of International Affairs of the
George Washington University on Apr. 11. This was the second discussion of a
series on China's environment. The speaker was Dr. Jentai Yang, the manager of
the greater China region, Office of International Activities, US EPA.
Pacific rim has been the most economically and socially dynamic region of the
world since the end of the World War II. However, Dr. Yang pointed out that,
environmental deterioration could undermine the economic and social progress
that has been achieved and peaceful relations between counties in the region.
He quoted the speech made by the Secretary of State Warren Christopher "The US
is providing leadership to promote global peace and prosperity, we must also
lead in safeguarding the global environment on which that prosperity and peace
ultimately depend."
Dr. Yang discussed three major challenges facing in the environmental
security: 1) deterioration of environmental conditions at the national and
regional levels, 2) global climate change, and 3)rising consumption. They
could be overcome through improving education, promoting clean production and
pollution prevention, improving regulatory capacity for the environmental
control, instituting sustainable patterns of land management, etc. But, the
public education is the most important of all.
US EPA has been working with China National EPA since the early 80s. There are
four major components in the activities: 1) responding to requests for
environmental policies, laws and regulations for topics such as energy
efficient lighting standards and water quality criteria; 2) providing
technical assistance and support for development of public information and
public education programs; 3) forming partnerships for cooperative training
and research; and 4) exploring mechanisms for financing environmental
improvements and for developing potential markets for environmental
technologies. Ongoing projects include urban air quality monitoring, coalbed
methane recovery and use, energy efficient and CFC-free refrigerators, Halon
phaseout program, public education and awareness promotion, and pollution
prevention and cleaner production in river basin management.
Dr. Yang discussed some issues in detail in responding the audience’s
questions, such as carbon emissions, China’s current environmental situation
and US EPA budgeting process. People from the World Bank, Congressional
Research Services, the University, private industries and NGOs in DC area
attended the discussion.
Besides the International Fund for China’s Environment and the George
Washington University, three other organizations cosponsored the event: the
Professional Association for China’s Environment, China Academic Link and the
New World Times.
Ping He
Speaker: Dr. Jentai Yang, Manager of the Greater China Region, Office of
International Activities, United States Environmental Protection Agency
Time: 5:00 p.m. --7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 11, 1998
Place: Stuart Hall, room 103, Elliott School Commons, 2013 G street, NW, Washington DC (Stuart Hall is inside the George Washington University, which is located between Farrugut West and Foggy Bottom metro)
The Sino-U.S. cooperation in environment protection is one of the areas
President Clinton will talk with Chinese government in his upcoming
summit to China. Dr. Jentai Yang will discuss issues pertaining to
bilateral efforts on environmental security.
The China Environment Discussion Series is jointly sponsored by the
following organizations:
- International Fund for China's Environment (IFCE)
- Professional Association for China's Environment (PACE)
- China Academic Link (CAL)
- George Washington University
- New World Times
China's Environment Seminar Series: No. 1
Wildlife Preservation in China -- Siberian Tiger
Summary
On April 8, professor Songyan Jing of the Northeast Forestry University in
China gave the first speech of our Environmental Lecture series at the George
Washington University. As the director of the Wildlife Detection Center under
China9s Ministry of Forestry, Mrs. Jing talked about the Center9s effort to
reproduce captive Siberian tigers and to introduce them back to their natural
habitat. The process has proven to be both costly and time consuming. Even
though Chinese government has supported the effort to save the endangered
Siberian tigers, according to Professor Jing, the Ministry of Forestry does not
have any specific appropriation for that purpose. Currently, the Cat
Reproduction Center in Heilongjiang, specifically established to reproduce
captive Siberian tigers, has more than 15 million Yuan in debt. And the effort
to preserve the Siberian tigers is seriously threatened. Professor Songyan
captive Siberian tigers, has more than 15 million Yuan in debt. And the effort
to preserve the Siberian tigers is seriously threatened. Professor Songyan
Jing called upon international organizations and concerned individuals to
contribute to support this effort.
The lecture was cosponsored by IFCE, PACE (professional association of China9s
Environment), CAL(China Academic Link), George Washington University, and the
New World Times. Representatives from all the sponsors attended the lecture and
the following discussion. In addition, representatives from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service participated in the discussion. Students from George
Washington University were also present in the lecture.
Jackie Luo
Speaker: Songyan Jing, Director of the Wildlife Detection Center, Ministry of Forestry, People's Republic of China
Time: 6:15 pm -- 7:15 pm, Wednesday, April 8, 1998
Place: Stuart Hall, room 103, Elliott School Commons, 2013 G street, NW, Washington DC (Stuart Hall is inside the George Washington University, which is located between Farrugut West and Foggy Bottom metro)
The Wildlife Detection Center was founded in 1986. At that time, the Center had only 10 endangered Siberian tigers. Today, the Center houses 83 Siberian tigers, out of 400 left in the world. They are the largest group anywhere.
Professor Songyan Jing is a well-known wildlife researcher and educator. Currently, one of her research topics is how to re-introduce the captured Siberian tigers to their natural habitat.
The lecture is jointly sponsored by the following organizations:
- International Fund for China's Environment (IFCE)
- Professional Association for China's Environment (PACE)
- China Academic Link (CAL)
- New World Times
- George Washington University
For further information, please call Ping He at 703-324-3594, or Ina Hopkins, at 202-994-4876.