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.