17 June 2016, Nanjing, China - The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) launched the “Transition to a Green Economy in China’s Jiangsu Province: A Stocktaking Report” in China. This report summarizes Jiangsu province’s experiences and good practices in the transition to a green economy, and identifies challenges faced and priority development areas in the next five years. Based on these insights, the report provides suggestions for the next phase of PAGE support in the province.
Together with PAGE colleagues, around 60 participants attended the launch event, including the Director-General of the Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB), Deputy Director of Department of International Cooperation of Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), Deputy Head of Academy of Macroeconomic Research of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), as well as representatives from national and international agencies, such as Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Nanjing Commerce Bureau, Beijing Normal University, Nanjing University, WWF, Green Technology Center Korea (GTCK), and media.
The Director-General of the Jiangsu EPB emphasized that “green development has been identified as one of the five [1] main national development principles in China, and PAGE’s engagement at the local level is timely. In recent years, Jiangsu has put the transformation of development model as its core element to implement ecological civilization, vigorously conducting economic restructuring and upgrading through a harmonious manner taking into consideration of economic development and ecological protection. The PAGE project will further facilitate the province in exploring new pathways and implementing the provincial 13th Five-Year Plan.”
Located on the eastern coast of China, Jiangsu province is home to around 80 million people and is one of the most technologically advanced provinces in the country. Situated in the Yangtze Delta, where a dense network of rivers, lakes and waterways exists, Jiangsu has a strong natural resource base. With a total GDP of 6,508.8 billion Yuan in 2014, it ranks as the second richest and the most developed province of China with an HDI of 0.748 in 2010, ranking fourth in China. To maintain its competitiveness and achieve inclusive development for its citizens, the province has committed to green its economy.
This report marks the ending of the inception phase and the beginning of the implementation phase of the PAGE project. Based on the findings of the report and the discussions with local experts during the launch event, PAGE will work with local government and national institute to design and conduct in-depth research and programme activities to assist Jiangsu’s transition to a green economy.
For further information: page@unep.org
[1] These five principles are: Innovation, Coordination, Green, Openness, and Inclusiveness.
