Sino-Canada Environmental Governance Roundtable held and Official Launch of the new Centre for Canadian Public Policy Studies at Fudan University
Organized by Fudan-Queen’s Sino-Canada Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development and the recently established Centre for Canadian Public Policy Studies, and Coordinated by the Queen’s China Liaison Office, a “Sino-Canada Environmental Governance Roundtable” was held at Fudan University, on the 13th of November 2010. The roundtable was sponsored by the Government of Canada and by the Queen’s University School of Policy Studies.
Environmental governance is an issue of global importance and far-reaching implications. With the world’s largest population, unparalleled economic growth and unprecedented, rapid-paced urbanization, China is facing serious environmental challenges. The roundtable brought together people from academic circles, policy making bodies, NGOs, business, and university students. Topics included a wide range of environmental governance issues. Peter Sylvester, Professor of Queen’s School of Policy Studies, and former President of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, presented on “Public Participation in Canada’s Environmental Assessment System”; Wang Xiangrong, Professor and Director of Fudan Research Centre of Urban and Eco-Planning and Design, presented on “Global Change and Response Strategy”; Dai Xingyi, Professor and Director of Fudan Centre of Urban Management Studies, Centre of Land and Resources Studies, presented on “Challenges in China’s Environmental Governance”; Ren Wenwei, Professor of Fudan, director of WWF Shanghai Program office, co-director of the Fudan-Queen’s Sino-Canada Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, presented on ”the Role of NGOs in China’s Environmental Governance”; Peter Harrison, Director and professor at the Queen’s School of Policy Studies, presented on “Sustainable Development and Indigenous Land in Canada”. Dr. Harrison has many years of experience as a Deputy Minister in the Canadian federal public service, in the field of natural resources, fisheries and oceans, and Indian and northern affairs, and he has held senior positions in many other ministries as a policy maker and administrator. Hu Jing, deputy director of the Shanghai Low Carbon Economy Research Centre, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Science, presented on “Towards an Environmentally Friendly City”; Song Lei, Professor, China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, Presented on “Fiscal Policies for Low Carbon City Development”; Zhang Zhiyao, Queen’s China Liaison Officer and coordinator of the Fudan-Queen’s Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development and the Centre for Canadian Public Policy Studies at Fudan University, and Christopher Shallis, environmentalist, presented on “Land Use and Water Source Protection”; Zhang Hao, assistant general manager, Shanghai Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Park, shared his thoughts on Challenges China’s Enterprises Face in Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation.
At the start of the roundtable, participants gathered to witness a brief ceremony which was held to mark the official launch of the newly established Centre for Canadian Public Policy Studies at Fudan. A plaque bearing the Centre’s name was unveiled by Mark McDowell, Counselor and Director of Public Diplomacy, Canadian Embassy, Wang Li, Academic Relations Officer, Canadian Embassy, Peter Harrison, Liu Li, Deputy Director of Fudan FAO, Li Hong, Program Officer, Fudan FAO, Liu Jianjun, Professor and the Director of the Centre, Fudan University, and Zhang Zhiyao.. The centre is a product of close collaboration between Queen’s and Fudan University. It is expected to become a major centre in China for Canadian Public Policy Studies.
Queen’s University and Fudan University are committed to use the two centres as platforms to steadily advance Canadian Studies at Fudan, and to further their already well established, fruitful ties created through student exchanges, reciprocal faculty visits, research collaboration, training, and other endeavours.
(Provided by Zhang Zhiyao, Queen’s China Liaison Officer)
