Release time:2018-03-14

In the year of 2017, the International Fund for China’s Environment (IFCE) held many influential and successful events and programs between China and the United States. These events and programs related the fields of policy advocacy, technological exchanges and education and training. Very important suggestions were made by IFCE in the fields of policy and technology for China’s environmental management. By continuously promoting dialogues, the hope that the government will change and revise their policies and develop new environmentally friendly technologies. Additionally, IFCE successfully held the training of “Environmental Public Interest Litigation”, “The Green Future Leadership Training Camp”, “2017 ‘Green China’ Environmental Songs Contest”, and many other meaningful and powerful programs and events. These events have had positive feedback and influences in both China and the United States.

 

Summary of activities

1. IFCE pointed out the main cause of heavy smog in China andtook leadership in smog control.

In the beginning of 2017, the President of IFCE Dr. Ping He pointed out that the wet desulfurization is a major cause of haze and pollution in most parts of China, and received widespread attention in the society. Many scholars and researchers have conducted investigations and arguments from different angles and aspects and most agreed with the view of IFCE experts. Zhejiang, Shanghai, Tianjin and other regions issued local environmental regulations to control “colored plume” caused by wet desulfurization .

On 24^th September 2017, Science and Management published research from Yong Zhou (Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategic Research at Shandong Academy of Sciences). This study confirms from historical and big data that the main reason for the 2013 smog broken out and PM2.5 outbreak in China was caused by the water vapor from the desulfurization process (low temperature and wet flue gasses). Zhejiang, Shanghai, Tianjin and Handan have issued local environmental regulations to control the “colored flue gas” caused by wet desulphurization. Iron and steel, smelting and other non-electricity industries have also begun to launch the “colored plume” control technology list.

 

On May 17^th, with the support of IFCE, China Biodiversity Protection and Green Development Foundation in Beijing held a symposium on problems and countermeasures of coal fire and flue gas. More than 20 members from the Counselor Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Environmental Protection Environmental Policy Research Center, Fudan University, Shandong University, Environmental Newspaper Office, and experts from environmental technology companies attended the event. Experts pointed out that there are problems in many wet desulphurization technologies through China. It is one of the main reasons for the particulate matter level and haze formation. Experts advised to use dry or semi-dry desulfurization processes to control air pollution and reduce haze.

 

In June, Dr. Ping He submitted to Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference with a policy report, in which he suggested to the Chinese government to control wet flue gas caused by wet desulphurization.

 

On September 6^th, the conference of “national coal fired boiler with ultra-low emission and fuel utilization of clean technology” held in Yantai, IFCE helped organize the ultra-low emission technology selection and dialogue session. Also invited were 5 experts to discuss the existence of ultra-low emission flue gas problem, and introduced more mature technologies of dry dehumidification for the market.

 

On November 16^th, IFCE and Zhong Hui Ke Yin assisted the Strategic Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, held a meeting themed “monitoring method of flue gas pollutants, haze control mechanism and technical path.” Attendees of this meeting were from the Shandong University, Shandong Institute of Meteorology, Jinan Environmental Monitoring Station, Xiamen University, US EPA, Huangtai Power Plant, and some flue gas treatment technology companies. It was believed that there are obvious defects in the monitoring index of smoke pollutants at present. The methods and means of monitoring were backward, and the real emission conditions are not detected. The journalist of Xinhua News reported the forum.

 

In addition to the public forum, IFCE also worked with the Advisory Office of the State Council, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, to pay serious attention to the negative effects of wet desulfurization. IFCE visited the Advisory Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Science and Technology in November, and received the response from the Ministry of Science and Technology. They will support IFCE for the treatment of wet desulphurization in pilot cities. (Annex 1) Although IFCE has encountered difficulties in this process, the magazine in the State Council still published articles of IFCE experts.

 

During the process, IFCE gathered an group of top experts in control the humidity of the flue gas and a set of the most advanced tech in flue gas treatment and will send them to pilot cities in 2018.

On May 17^th, a symposium on problems and countermeasures of coal burning flue gas was held in Beijing.

The national coal fired boiler with ultra-low emission and fuel utilization of clean technology session in Yantai, Sept. 6

The November 16^th “monitoring method of flue gas pollutants, treatment pathway” Forum in Jinan.

 

2. Discussion and Training on Environmental Public Interest Litigation

IFCE and the China Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development held two forums and training activities on environmental public interest litigation. The subject of the 22nd of July event was environmental public interest litigation practice, which was held at the Sheng Li Hotel in Beijing. Participants by legal experts, the court and the prosecutor, the Ministry of environmental protection, social organizations and environmental lawyers, the media a totaled to more than 60 people. They took part in the meeting as a review expert. Ke Zhou (The Professor of Renmin University of China), Baiping Tang (The Associate Professor of Beijing University of Technology), Xiao Zhu (The Professor of Renmin University of China), and Mingde Cao (The Professor of China University of Political Science and Law) also took part in the meeting as review experts. Representatives from social organizations who have experience in public interest litigation participated in the conference. Friends of nature, Henan Enterprise Social Responsibility Promotion Center, Hangzhou Ecological Culture Association, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation made speeches. The Director of the Ministry of Environmental Protection Policy and Regulations, Tao Bie, the Jiangsu Provincial Xuzhou people’s prosecutor, the Beijing people’s prosecutor and the first branch of the Beijing people’s prosecutor made speeches, they talked about their views and feelings about public interest litigation. The meeting is divided into two parts; the first is to discuss the social organization. The second is the difficulties, problems, challenges and opportunities facing the procurator agencies in public interest litigation.

On November 23^rd, the topic of environmental public interest litigation is the relations of main plaintiff bodies. Participants included law experts, court, prosecutor, social organizations, environment lawyer, the media, a total of more than 50 people: Director of the Ministry of Environmental Protection Policies and Regulations, The Secretary General of the China Biodiversity Protection and Green Development Foundation, Jinfeng Zhou. President of the International Fund for China’s Environmental, Ping He. Department of Environmental Protection in Shandong Province, Guizhou Province Department of Environmental Protection, the Intermediate People’s Court in Wuxi city, Jiangsu Province, Guizhou Province Qingzhen, Nanjing city, Jiangsu Province Intermediate People’s Court are according to the specific case according to the theme put forward their own views and opinions. In the afternoon session, Yi Liu, Deputy Director of the People’s prosecutor of the Supreme People’s Prosecute, delivered a keynote speech. The three branches of the people’s prosecute of Beijing put forward suggestions based on their own work practices. Guangdong Environmental Protection Foundation introduced its own case in the Marine public interest litigation. Friends of nature, Tianjin Eco-Product Promotion Association, Chongqing Green Association, Green Cooperation Environment lawyers and several medias attended the forum. Professor Ke Zhou (Renmin University of China), Professor Deming Cao (China University of Political Science and Law), Professor Youhai Sun (Tianjin university), Professor Jing Wang (Beijing university), and Shuai Xin lecturer (Qingdao University of Science and Technology) joined as a commenting legal experts.

The two forums were directly aimed at the present situation of environmental public interest litigation and discussed, and the problems faced. This activity played a positive role for the further development of the environmental public interest litigation.

22nd of July, a seminar on the practical operation of environmental public interest litigation in Beijing.

３. The Green Future Leadership Training Camp

In August 2017, IFCE hosted the “2017 The Green Future Leadership Training Camp” in Washington D.C, New York and other United States states. The students of this training are from Sun Yat-sen University, Beijing University, Nanjing University, and China International Engineering Consulting Corporation. During these training days students met Mr. Samuel Mok (the managing member of Condor International Advisors, LLC and the former Chief Financial Officer in the US Department of Labor), Diane MacEachern (the founder of the Big Green Purse), Michael Maccoby (a Harvard University professor emeritus and specialist in wise leadership), Mr. Kevin Hinman (a trainer with years of experience in Human Resource management), Dr. Ming Yang (the Senior Climate Change Specialist of the Global Environment Facility), and David Yardman (from Capital Bank). They discussed leadership, non-profit entrepreneurship, teamwork, capital operations and global environmental challenges. Students traveled to New York after the training camp in Washington D.C., and visited the United Nations headquarters. During the visit, participants were met by the Republic of Suriname Ambassador to the United Nations Henry Mac Donald and entered the United Nations Security Council. The students also visited Yale University in New Haven, visiting Professor Yajie Song of Yale University and Dr. Gordon Geballe, Associate Dean of the School of Forestry and Environment. The group also visited the Global Institute on Environment for Sustainable Development. The participants of the training camp also visited the Verizon School, the headquarters of the Earth Day Network, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the World Bank, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the headquarters of the world’s largest conservation organization, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) US. These activities allowed the participants to return to China with a taste of world-class training from the most authoritative experts and knowledge of cutting edge green development. IFCE gave students a certificate of graduation, and students were given a positive evaluation of the training, hoping that IFCE should be expanded to benefit more students.

Mr. David Vardeman of Capital Bank and students.

The students of training camp in Washington WWF-US.

 

４. 2017 “Green China” environmental songs competition

IFCE hosted the “2017 Green China Songs Contest”, and received more than 150 green songs. After the expert review, “Fresh Air and Eternal Hope” composed by Huanzhou XU and Yifu Shu and “Green Peace Song” composed by Longjiang Pan, both won the first prize. “Green China” composed by Lihua He and Yongchang Dai, and “The Source of Life” composed by Zhiwen Huang and Jianhua Zhao won the second prize. The third prize was won by, “Bring the Bottles to Travel” composed by Qian Xiao, “Green China” composed by Yongdong Ni and Wei Nie, “Green Call” composed by Fang Bao and Lin Yang, “ A green Leaf” composed by Jizheng Zhang and Liuqiang Din, and “Love in the Shade” composed by Cifa Tan and Qingquan Yi.

The award ceremony was held on January 25, 2018, on the Italian costa cruise ship. The organizing committee awarded honorary certificates and prizes to the winning artists, and nearly a thousand-people attended the party. The Environmental Protection Song Contest uses beautiful music to call attention to environmental issues. The concept of these original songs are to promote concepts of environmental protection, ecological civilization, advocate green consumption, low carbon economy and green life, ecological construction, and green development, and focus on China’s pollution control. The music helps to raise awareness of environmental protection, transmit positive energy to the society, expand the influence of foundation, receive very good social effect. These events help to build a community, to get people to understand environmental problems. Music shows emotion and passion that cannot always be expressed though normal speech.

2017“绿色中国”环保歌曲大赛颁奖典礼

 

5. The IFCE organization San Jiang Yuan China National Park and China International Engineering Consulting Company visited the United States and studied the experience of national park management planning.

 

From July 18, 2017 to July 30, 2017, China International Engineering Consulting company leaders, and three of the national park service officials had in-depth talks to learn from each other. The national park service officials mainly do research delegation. The discussed the foundation of China in the international environment coordination, they were also accompanied by staff, they went to the U.S. National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the many of America’s national parks such as Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon were investigated. They held in-depth talks with managers to expand their ideas and to learn from one another. The trip took 12 days to Washington, D.C., as a starting point, the delegation of the footprint involved, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Wyoming, Iowa, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and many cities in California, districts, and state parks. The delegation met with various government, non-profit research institution of officials in the United States and the commissioner, national parks were discussed in detail with the management of the construction planning, natural resources and human resources management and balance, and administrative division and coordination. Getting project funding, was source of many problems, such as, for the overall planning and construction of three national parks. Subsequent management gained valuable experience. At the same time, the delegation also expressed the possibility and vision of cooperation between the national parks and environmental research institutions during their meetings.

 

6. “United States new energy climate policy on international impact”,held in Washington D.C.

 

On July 28, 2017, IFCE hosted the “United States new energy climate policy on international impact” round table at George Washington University’s Marvin Center. The meeting personnel included, Dr. Ping He (President of IFCE), Tad Ferris (Vice Director of IFCE), Chris Allison (Deputy Director of the State Department’s Office of Global Climate Change), Dr. Robert Dixon (Director of Department of Energy Strategy), Elliot Diringer (Executive Vice President of Energy Climate Center), Arlene Fetizanan (Energy Efficiency and New Energy Policy Advisers of the Department of energy), Alan Yu（Asia Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Ming Yang (Global Environment Facility Senior Climate Expert), Dr. Tao Hu (China Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature of the U.S), Haibing Ma (the Chinese director of the world watch), Dr. Jonathan Deason（Professor of George Washington University), and 20 other officials and experts.

 

 

7. Innovation and Technology Exchange

On May 22^nd, the International Fund for China’s Environment (IFCE) and the Xiangtan City environmental management and innovation technology exchange held a cooperation signing ceremony at Dragon Mountain Villa. Dr. Ping He (President of IFCE), and Wei Luo (Vice Mayor of Xiangtan City) , Lihua Zhang (Deputy Secretary General of the Municipal Party Committee), and Guojun Su (Director of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau), attended the signing ceremony. It marked Xiangtan as a substantial step for the cooperation with International Fund for China’s Environment, also for Xiangtan to strengthen environmental protection at home and abroad, promote the environmental control technology to build a good platform for exchanges and cooperation. From the United States, Beijing, Shanghai and other places of high-tech environmental protection companies, Xiangtan and dozens of companies and Universities. IFCE organized 11 companies to visit Xiangtan City government and introduced about low carbon smog governance and leading technologies in water treatment.

8. Other activities

 

On September 30, 2017, hosted by the Yellow River art troupe, the “Golden Autumn Moon 2017 Nature Song Concert” supported by IFCE was successfully held and more than 800 people attended. Sponsored by IFCE, “Green and Environmental Protection”, “Green China” and “Fresh Air, Forever Hope” were sung by Yuan Liu, Siyuan Lei and Xueqing Song. They made songs more infectious, this is best for Chinese environmental protection propaganda. The concert in Washington, D.C., was a hit, with more than 10 media reports.

2017 Washington innovation and cooperation international forum

On October 2^nd-3rd, the “2017 Washington innovation and cooperation international forum” was held at the Trump National Golf Club. The forum is co-hosted by the American Chinese community alliance in Washington D.C. China innovation and entrepreneurship alliance, the Virginia Lawton county economic development office, and the U.S. China exchange development foundation. The forum invited a number of heavyweight investment and innovation domain speakers, such as Richard Bendis, BioHealth innovation company founder and CEO, Mr.Todd Thurwachter a senior adviser to communication development foundation of China and the United States, American diplomats association director, Mr. Jun Wang, vice President of China investment association etc. Washington D.C. area has many of the main technology groups which offers a great support to this activity, including the International Fund for China’s Environment, the American university innovation alliance, the U.S. Chinese bio-pharmaceutical association, Chinese Association for Science and Technology, USA.