Bejing, China, 10 June 2015 – A new Green Economy Textbook, launched today in Beijing, is expected to play a significant role in assisting the Chinese government, policy makers and the public in moving towards an Inclusive Green Economy and Ecological Civilization, turning environmental challenges into new opportunities for sustainable development.
The Chinese textbook titled “Green Economy: Theory, methods and cases from the United Nations’ perspective”, produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with Tongji University, is supported by illustrative examples tailored to a Chinese audience and provides a systematic understanding of the Inclusive Green Economy concept and its linkage to the Chinese concept of Ecological Civilization. It is also part of UNEP’s enhanced engagement with the academic community, fostering a new generation of graduates familiar with Green Economy concepts, domains, methodologies, as well as practical solutions. To this end, it will be disseminated to universities around China, some of which are members of the Global Universities Partnership on Environment for Sustainability (GUPES) network.
The Textbook was launched at a High-Level Panel featuring UNEP’s Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Achim Steiner; Prof. Wang Guangtao, Chairman of UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) Board, Former Minister of Ministry of Construction; Prof. Wu Jiang, Board Chair of GUPES, Vice President of Tongji University and Dean of Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IESD), Tongji University; Prof. Zhu Dajian, Director, Institute of Governance for Sustainability, Tongji University, and Co-editor of the textbook (together with Sheng Fulai, Head of the Economic Research Unit at the Economics and Trade Branch, UNEP in Geneva).
UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP Achim Steiner said:
“China has made remarkable progress in recent years transforming itself into a green economy pioneer and innovator. Renewable energy investment in China, for example, amounted to US $83.3 billion in 2014 – exceeding the renewable energy investment made by both Europe and the US for that year. At the same time, over 2.64 million jobs were created in the sector in 2013 and 36 million people acquired access to electricity through off-grid sources between 1998 and 2012.”
“UNEP is proud to have partnered with Tongii University to produce this Green Economy handbook, which is designed to inform China’s 13th Five Year Plan – the country’s development blueprint, guided by the Ecological Civilization as a pioneering ideology and a way of life,” he added.
“Green economic development is the basic assurance for the implementation of strategic goals of environment and development in China and is an important component of building the country's ecological civilization”, said Prof. Wang Guangtao, Chairman of UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) Board, Former Minister of Ministry of Construction.
UNEP is working closely with the Chinese government in developing the plan, and together with the China Council (CCICED) has been running a high-level meeting of international experts to provide inputs to China’s next Five Year Plan from the inclusive green economy perspective. In addition, through UNEP’s initiative on the “Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System”, UNEP is also working with the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) on establishing China’s green financial system.
The textbook involved 21 authors from 10 national and international institutions1, covering the theoretical, sectoral and policy dimensions of Green Economy with a specific focus on key issues of relevance to China. It has also been reviewed by 12 experts from national and international institutions2.
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