1. SUMMARY
1.1 The China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development was established in 1992. After five years of effort, it successfully accomplished its mandate and realised the targets set for itself in 1996. This has helped to promote cooperation between China and the international community in the field of environment and development, and made it possible for the Council to exert an ever-growing, extensive and profound impact in the world.
1.2 Having taken into consideration the situation in China, the Council and Expert Working Groups over the past five years have put forward a large number of valuable recommendations. Having received great attention from the Chinese Government and reflected in the practical process of China's environmental and developmental effort.
1.3 As the First Phase of the Council's mandate came to an end, it was felt that the Council needed to be strengthened if it was to continue with its work. Readjustment is therefore being carried out for both the Chinese and international members. (The readjustment for the Chinese members will be finished in early 1998.) Thus the Council is established and strengthened for the Second Phase.
1.4 In light of the focus of work in the Second Phase, and the progress China ha s made in terms of environment and development, the Council has also reorganized its Expert Working Groups. Based on experiences from the First Phase, some groups remain and some new ones have been established.
1.5 There are now seven Expert Working Groups and one Project Group, namely:
1.5.1 Working Group on Pollution Control,
1.5.2 Working Group on Energy Strategies and Technologies,
1.5.3 Working Group on Environmental Economics,
1.5.4 Working Group on Biodiversity,
1.5.5 Working Group on Environment and Trade,
1.5.6 Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture,
1.5.7 Working Group on Cleaner Production, and
1.5.8 Project Group on the Integration of Environmental Considerations into Economic Planning.
1.6 The Council also agreed to set up a working group on environment and transportation, in due course.
1.7 Based on its First Phase work, the Council in the Second Phase will make policy recommendations in keeping with China's targets for environment and development. These proposals must be discussed, accepted and suitable for the Chinese situation as it moves from theory into practice, so that the recommendations can become operational and concrete policies. The Council will also carry out necessary policy and project demonstrations in certain key areas.
1.8 The Terms of Reference are based on the Terms of Reference of the First Phase. The nature, major purposes, organization and procedure of the Council set up in the First Phase will continue in effect and therefore will not be repeated he re. Additions and revisions are made only to some individual parts.
2. TERMS OF REFERENCE
2.1 Objectives, Mandate and Requirements of the Council in the Second Phase
2.1.1 The Council in the Second Phase will adhere to the objectives determined in the First Phase and, in the process of realizing these objectives, will further help China to solve its environment and development problems through international cooperation, and make recommendations to the Chinese Government on formulation and implementations of long term and comprehensive strategies and policies for sustainable development. Meanwhile, the Council will test these recommendations in various ways to determine whether they are operational or not.
2.1.2 Specific Objectives of the Council:
(1) Advise the Chinese Government in defining and implementing a long term, integrated strategy and effective policy for sustainable economic development and for the protection, conservation and improvement of China's environment, energy and natural resources.
(2) Stimulate international cooperation and financial support for projects and programs aimed at priority issues of environment and development in China, and promote cooperation in scientific research, training and education, as well as in the development, transfer and adaptation of technology.
(3) Enhance the participation of China in international programs and negotiations aimed at reducing the present threats to the world environment.
(4) Assist in identifying practical experience, innovative approaches, methodology and activities in other countries which can be of some relevance to China's development; and, assist in other countries which can be of some relevance to China's development; and, assist in disseminating Chinese experience, ideas and solutions to other countries.
(5) Advise the Government on major decisions affecting the environment, and assist with the assessment of their economic, social and environmental implications.
(6) Promote innovative technological solutions in such fields as agriculture and energy production, and promote new approaches to economic and environmental analysis and accounting, and to policy making and management.
(7) Advise and assist in the effort to encourage public understanding and awareness of environmental issues and to gain the support of the Chinese people for action to protect and improve the environment.
2.1.3 The main task of the Council in the Second Phase is to deepen the theoretic al research of the First Phase and turn it into concrete policies. The major research fields include:
(1) Implementation of China's sustainable energy development strategy.
(2) Choices of energy structure and technology.
(3) Economic means for environmental protection in a market economy.
(4) Environmental pollution prevention and control.
(5) Economic, technological and management approaches for ecological conservation.
(6) Methodology for integrating environmental protection into economic and social development policy making.
(7) Sustainable development for China's agriculture, and
(8) China's external trade and environmental protection polices, and so forth.
2.1.4 The Council and the Expert Working Groups should try their best to combine their research projects with China's on-going construction and research projects. The Chinese Government will provide consideration and help for pilot studies t o demonstrate the effects of policy implementation within certain areas, and will provide some financial and other support.
2.2 Organization and Procedure
2.2.1 The Council in the Second Phase is established for five years (1997-2001).
2.2.2 The Council is composed of twenty eight Chinese and twenty four international members. The Chinese members are ministers, deputy ministers and eminent experts. The international members are of comparable status.
2.2.3 The proposals, recommendations and comments of the Council will be conveyed to the Chinese government through three main channels:
(1) Through the Chairman of the Council to the State Council;
(2) Through the Environmental Protection Commission under the State council to t he concerned ministries, agencies and provincial governments and to the State Council;
(3) Through meetings between members of the Council and top Chinese leaders.
2.2.4 The Council may invite experts and business representatives as observers or special guests to the meetings, in order that they may offer their high quality professional knowledge and opinions on priority issues and provide financial support to the Council. The Council will also invite certain provincial governors or city mayors to attend meetings as special guests.
2.2.5 The terms of office of members should normally be three years. Those who fail to participate in the Council's activities or do not play any role in the council for one or two years will be regarded as automatically withdrawing from the Council. After approval by the Bureau as such, they will not be invited to participate again in the Council.
2.3 Expert Working Groups
2.3.1 As basic supporting pillar for the Council, Expert Working Groups should determine their research topics and mandates according to the objectives of the council. The Bureau will decide the establishment and termination of working groups.
2.3.2 Members may put forward suggestions for the establishment of new Expert Working Groups, based on their research of the practical needs of China's environment and development. However, it is necessary that they find sufficient research funds for the group beforehand to guarantee its regular work.
2.3.3 Export Working Groups are organized on the principle of small size but goo d quality, so that the problem of insufficient funds will be alleviated. In principle, each group will be made up of five Chinese members and five international members.
2.3.4 Expert Working Groups are established according to the needs of the work o f the council. Those Working Groups that have completed their set research tasks will be terminated as required. This action will be carried out by the Secretariat Head Office after discussion with the involved Working Groups and approval b y the Bureau.
2.4 The Support and Service Systems
2.4.1 The Chinese Government will continue to ensure effective arrangement at the working level to encourage the full and active participation of all the ministries and other institutions concerned both governmental and non-governmental in supporting the work of the Council.
2.4.2 The National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) will be responsible for inter-ministerial co-ordination and for supporting the activities of the Council.
2.4.3 The Council's Secretariat within NEPA, which has changed its name to Secretariat Head Office, is responsible for the work of the Council in China, including preparations for the meetings of the Council, maintaining and developing its international and domestic contacts, and carrying out the functions necessary to ensure proper follow-up by the Chinese Government to the suggestions by the Council.
2.4.4 The council's Vancouver Support Office, which has changed its name to Canadian Secretariat, will cooperate with the Secretariat Head Office and continue t o be responsible for co-ordination of the international aspect of the Council's a activities, including those of its Expert Working Groups.
2.5 Financial Arrangements
2.5.1 In the past five years, the Chinese Government has committed financial resources to support part of the work of the Council, which, at the same time, has received financial support from donors. The activities of the Council in the Second Phase will depend on resources made available both from Chinese and international sources.
2.5.2 Members of the Council and Expert Working Groups should continuously help to ensure that activities of the Council are properly related to other international activities in the fields of environment and development cooperation, scientific research and investment, so that extensive contacts will be set up from all walks of life, and more international support will be mobilized to meet the need s of the Council and its Expert Working Groups.
2.5.3 The Council should work actively to win contributions and support from private foundations, multilateral financial institutions and other countries. Additional contributions from public and private sources and wider participation will be sought in support of specific activities and necessary studies as required.
2.5.4 The Council hopes that all international interested organizations -- scientific, technical, academic, financial and business organizations, for example - can assist in China's efforts to achieve economic development in harmony with the protection of the environment, and will make specific efforts to support the work of the Council.
