On January 30, 2024, a conference on policy dialogue on climate issues on diversified participation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction in parks was held in Jinan, co-sponsored by the China Association for NGO Cooperation (CANGO), the  SIP Lvse Jiangnan Public Environment Concerned Centre (PECC), and the Shaanxi Women and Children Development Foundation (SWCDF), with Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation co-organized the Climate Policy Dialogue on Multi-Participation in Carbon Reduction and Pollution Reduction in Parks, which was successfully held in Jinan. The conference was attended by more than 60 participants from government departments, social organizations, enterprises, media and other fields.

The scene of the meeting

Group photo of participants

Ms. Wang Xiangyi, Vice President and Secretary General of the CANGO, Mr. Liu Satellite, Vice Chairman of the China Environmental Protection Federation, and Mr. Wang Bidou, Secretary General of the Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation, delivered speeches.

Speech by Ms. Wang Xiangyi, Vice-President and Secretary-General of CANGO

On behalf of the organizers, Ms. Wang Xiangyi, Vice President and Secretary General of CANGO, firstly welcomed the guests and introduced the domestic and international cooperation and achievements of CANGO over the past 30 years since its establishment in the fields of rural and community development, climate change and environmental protection, gender equality, and social organization development and support. In response to climate change, China has launched a series of strategies, measures and actions to participate in global climate governance, and has achieved positive results. In 2007, the China National Committee for the Promotion of National Development launched the Civil Climate Action Network (CCAN) project, which supports the participation of domestic social organizations in capacity-building, policy research, international exchanges and joint actions on climate change. CANGO has participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference for 16 consecutive years, supporting social organizations to participate in the Conference more than 100 times, telling Chinese folk stories and conveying Chinese folk voices through various forms. Reducing pollution and carbon emissions in parks is a systematic project that requires the joint participation and efforts of the government, parks, enterprises, social organizations and all sectors of the community. This policy dialog is to provide a platform for exchanges and demonstrations among various parties, and to promote diversified participation and in-depth development of the work of reducing pollution and carbon emissions in parks.

Speech by Mr. Liu Satellite, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation and former Minister of the Army Equipment Department of the Northern War Zone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

Mr. Liu Satellite, Vice Chairman of the China Environmental Protection Association and former Minister of the Army Equipment Department of the Northern War Zone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said that in order to cope with climate change, our country has taken practical actions to practice the emission reduction of a responsible big country and introduced a series of policies to promote the realization of the goal of "dual-carbon". Shandong Province followed suit, and the implementation of various policies has been a useful exploration of synergistic mechanisms to reduce pollution and carbon emissions in the park. The Chinese Environmental Protection Association participated in COP28 with the concept of "Greater China, Greater Environment, Greater Coalition", and comprehensively demonstrated the climate action of Chinese civil society. This Climate Policy Dialogue brings together government departments, industry experts, chemical parks and social organizations from Shandong Province to discuss the issue of pollution and carbon reduction. As one of the organizers, Lvse Jiangnan has promoted dozens of chemical parks across China to implement pollution and carbon reduction. Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation has promoted the implementation of many policies and regulations in Shandong Province, and has promoted multi-dimensional cooperation and public participation in all aspects.

Speech by Mr. Wang Bidou, Secretary-General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation

Mr. Wang Bidou, Secretary General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation, said that the 20th Party Congress put the construction of ecological civilization in a more prominent position in the overall work. January 23 - 24, 2024 in the national ecological environmental protection work conference emphasized the need to persevere in the battle against pollution. There are 84 chemical parks in Shandong Province, which is one of the pillar industries in Shandong and a traditionally advantageous industry in Shandong. At the same time, energy and resource consumption is concentrated in the parks, which is an important source of greenhouse gas and various pollutant emissions. Chemical parks are not only the "main battlefield" for the development of the industry, but also the main position for the industry's "dual-carbon" work. We look forward to this policy dialog on climate change issues to promote the implementation of climate change policies and the green, low-carbon and high-quality development of chemical parks.

Mr. Zhai Liangxu, former researcher of the Law Enforcement Bureau of the Ecological and Environmental Protection Department of Shandong Province, shared his views.

Mr. Zhai Liangxu, former researcher of the Law Enforcement Bureau of the Ecological and Environmental Protection Department of Shandong Province, gave a presentation on "Policy Interpretation of Ecological and Environmental Law Enforcement Trends in the Context of Dual-Carbon", pointing out that the task of achieving the dual-carbon target is very difficult at both the national level and the enterprise level at the present time. In order to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the State has introduced a series of response policies and incentivized law-abiding production through the Green Label Enterprise Reputation Evaluation System. In addition, the State has implemented emission reduction paths through measures such as adjusting the energy structure, optimizing the industrial structure and scientific and technological innovation. In addition, at the legal level, the state emphasizes the obligation of all units and individuals to protect the environment through laws and regulations such as the Law of the People's Republic of China on Energy Conservation and the Measures for the Administration of Energy-Saving Product Certification in China. Finally, Mr. Zhai Liangxu emphasized the importance that the state attaches to carbon related cases by taking into account the actual cases of disputes and penalties in many places. Enterprises need to recognize the dual-carbon situation, grasp the dual-carbon policy and take carbon reduction measures in order to achieve the carbon reduction goal.

Ms. Zhang Hui, Project Manager of Green Supply Chain Department, Public Environmental Research Center, Chaoyang District, Beijing, sharing the scene

Ms. Zhang Hui, Project Manager of Green Supply Chain Department, Chaoyang Public Environmental Research Center, Beijing, shared her views on "Big Data Helps Chemical Parks Reduce Pollution and Carbon". She said chemical parks are key subject units for collaborative pollution reduction and carbon reduction, which require environmental information disclosure, informed public, government regulation, social supervision and market promotion. China's experience in environmental governance has shown that the historic progress made in environmental information disclosure has been able to break down information barriers between upstream and downstream market players, and between market players and regulators and the public, and has provided a critically important data infrastructure for all parties to participate in pollution control and the improvement of environmental quality. Drawing on the successful experience of environmental governance, the digitized climate governance and carbon management solutions will help the park and the enterprises in the park to map out their carbon emissions, set targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction, carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, implement energy-saving and emission reduction measures, and continuously track the emission reduction performance and adjust the targets in due course. 

Ms. Zhang Xingyi, Marketing Manager of Suzhou Ortstein Environmental Technology Co.

Ms. Zhang Xingyi, Marketing Manager of Suzhou Ortstein Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. shared the "Good Cases of Chemical Park Governance - Promoting Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction in Chemical Parks under Multiple Perspectives". She firstly introduced the current situation of China's chemical parks as well as the policy practice, and said that due to China's heavy chemical industry is characterized by a wide range of products, extensive sources of raw materials, and long process flow, chemical parks are facing four major difficulties, such as a weak foundation and an imperfect policy system, to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. Chemical park in the production process will produce hazardous waste, wastewater, exhaust gas and other types of pollutants, different pollutants will have a corresponding treatment facilities, and the implementation of the effectiveness of the various treatment facilities are illustrated with actual cases.

Ms. Xu Shuying, Chief Consultant and Consulting Business Manager of Shanghai Greenman Environmental Technology Co.

Ms. Xu Shuying, Principal Consultant and Consulting Business Manager of Shanghai Greenman Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. shared the topic of "Environmental Risk Management in Chemical Parks under Dual Carbon Targets", introducing three aspects, namely, common problems in chemical parks, risk and management, and near-zero carbon parks. In terms of the general problems of chemical parks, the definition, types and development history of chemical parks, as well as the pressures faced by the parks in terms of environment, carbon reduction, etc. are described in detail. In terms of risk management, it describes the risks faced by the environmental management of chemical parks from the perspectives of pollution reduction, energy saving and carbon reduction, as well as the management paths and measures. In the area of near-zero carbon parks, it introduces the concept of near-zero carbon cities, parks and communities, the target of declaration, the completion plan, the red line of declaration, the basic requirements of declaration, and the challenges of realizing near-zero carbon parks.

Round-table forum

In the roundtable forum, Mr. Zhai Liangxu, former researcher of the Law Enforcement Bureau of Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, Mr. Wang Bidou, Secretary General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation, Mr. Fang Yingjun, Director of Lvse Jiangnan, and Ms. Xu Shuying, Chief Consultant and Consulting Business Manager of Shanghai Greenman Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., shared and discussed on "Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction in Chemical Parks". Reducing pollution and carbon emissions in chemical parks cannot be achieved without the promotion and participation of multi-stakeholders, such as the government, social organizations, and the public; at the same time, enterprises in the parks also need to pay attention to their own environmental responsibilities and continuously improve their environmental risk management capabilities, so as to lay a solid foundation for the realization of the goal of "double carbon". 

Policy Dialogue on Environmental Governance Improvement Seminar for Chemical Industry Parks

Mr. Sun Baohua, Deputy Secretary General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation, reviewing the site

In the policy dialogue session of the Chemical Park Environmental Governance Improvement Seminar, Mr. Sun Baohua, Deputy Secretary General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation (SEPF), a joint action partner of Green Jiangnan, first reviewed the pollution reduction, carbon reduction and rectification and upgrading of chemical parks. Then the policy dialogue was conducted between social organizations and 16 government representatives from 3 cities in Shandong Province. 

Policy dialogue

On the topic of climate, government representatives such as Mr. Li Qiongtao, Chief of the Comprehensive Section of the Review Center of the Zibo Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, and Mr. Liu Xinxing, Deputy Chief of the Management Center of the Gaocheng Sub-bureau of the Zibo Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, said that, through the policy dialogue, Zibo will establish a mechanism for the chemical industry parks to communicate actively with social organizations, and to contribute to the diversified participation in promoting the parks to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. Ms. Gao Xiaohui, representative of Binzhou Ecological Environment Bureau, Mr. Lv Zhibin of Zhanhua City North Industrial Park and other government representatives said that pollution reduction and carbon reduction in the park is a long-term and arduous task, which also requires the continuous efforts of diversified social bodies. Ecological and environmental departments to fulfill their regulatory responsibilities, park enterprises to fulfill their social responsibility, etc., project-based to promote multi-party actions in the direction of climate change. Mr. Dong Yan, member of the party group and deputy director of Rizhao Ecological Environment Bureau, said that he had visited the parks in the city before attending the policy dialogue meeting, and that the government and the social organizations share the same goal in the direction of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and that how to set up a mechanism for benign interaction between the government and the social organizations is an issue that needs to be explored continuously in the dialogue with the social organizations, and that Rizhao will also promote public participation to a greater extent in the climate change action. Rizhao will also promote public participation to a greater extent in climate change action and advocate low-carbon life. Mr. Song Qifeng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Xiazhuang Town, Juxian County, said that the supervision of the park needs to be strengthened in collaboration and cooperation with a number of parties, and that the park believes that the supervision of social organizations is a useful supplement to government supervision, and that the management level of the park can be improved through the supplementation of social organizations.

Subsequently, in the multi-party dialogues and exchanges, Jinan Green Line Qilu Environmental Protection Public Welfare Service Center, Shandong Province High-end Chemical Industry Development Promotion Association and other social organizations and government representatives to discuss and exchange. Lvse Jiangnan Mr. Fang Yingjun said that the park also needs to pay constant attention to relevant international and domestic policies and establish a coping mechanism in advance in the work of reducing pollution and carbon. It is recommended that parks and social organizations should highly cooperate and join hands to promote pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and play the role of multi-dimensional common governance. Mr. Wang Bidou, Secretary General of Shandong Environmental Protection Foundation, said that there are still deficiencies in chemical parks in terms of pollution and carbon reduction, and there is still a need for multi-party cooperation to promote pollution and carbon reduction in the parks. 

Under the background of "dual-carbon", as a control unit with a concentration of large resource and energy consumers and a concentration of pollution emissions, chemical parks do a good job of reducing pollution and carbon emissions, which is of great significance in promoting the realization of China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. As 2024 is the key year for achieving the goals and tasks of the "14th Five-Year Plan", strengthening the participation of multiple parties (including the government, enterprises, social organizations, the public, etc.) in the chemical industry park, multi-party collaboration, and stakeholder dialogues will be more conducive to the effective implementation of the "dual-carbon" policy in the park. This will be more conducive to the effective implementation of the "dual-carbon" policy in chemical parks, promote the green and low-carbon transformation and high-quality development of enterprises in the parks, and build a resource-saving and environmentally friendly modern chemical industry system. 

Finally, Ms. Wang Xiangyi, Vice President and Secretary General of CNDC, summarized the policy dialogue activity, saying that the establishment of the communication mechanism, with social organizations and government representatives as the main body of the multi-dimensional cooperation and policy dialogue, is one of the ways to promote the sustainable development of the park and the implementation of relevant policies. The changes brought about by climate change to the production and life of society involve many industries and fields, which can be used by social organizations as a starting point for their activities. She also put forward expectations for social organizations, expecting them to broaden their international perspective, actively participate in international exchange activities and promote social organizations to go out on the basis of domestic actions.

This meeting is the first local policy dialogue under the project on promoting the development of social organizations in the field of climate and gender, and will be followed up with dialogue activities targeting social organizations in the field of climate and gender with the Government, enterprises and other parties, so as to enhance the capacity of social organizations in policy advocacy and thus better promote the participation of social organizations in social governance.

Background: The project "Promoting the Development of Social Organizations in the Field of Climate and Gender Issues" is funded by the European Union and implemented by the China Association for the Promotion of International Cooperation among Civil Society Organizations in cooperation with the SIP Lvse Jiangnan Public Environment Concerned Centre (PECC) and the  Shaanxi Women and Children Development Foundation (SWCDF). The project aims to strengthen the professionalism of social organizations on climate and gender issues and enhance their institutional development capacity by providing capacity-building and resource support.