The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement was signed among its 15 participating countries on Nov. 15, 2020, launching the world's biggest free trade bloc. Participating countries include the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

With the important progress of regional economic integration, how to promote civil cooperation in the field of ecological and environmental protection among countries in the RCEP region, promote the sustainable development of economic society and the environment in all dimensions, and jointly build an ecological civilization?

China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has established an RCEP working group, and held its first working meeting recently, and decided to work on strengthening environmental exchanges, cooperation and co-governance of civil organizations in the RCEP region.

Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of CBCGDF said while presiding over the meeting: “We believe that RCEP is not only the largest (about one-third of the world's economy) and the largest population, it is also of great significance. Its geography, form and content will have profound impacts on economic development, environment and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

The meeting decided to strengthen the environmental communication, cooperation and co-governance of civil organizations in the RCEP region as the main goal. The main work areas of the CBCGDF RCEP working group include:

1. Promote the establishment of a joint mechanism of RCEP-NGOs. Build a platform to enable RCEP participants-although the government has signed a contract, all stakeholders should have a platform, expression, and participation, so that "good things can be done well". We should build a RCEP-NGOs platform, contact stakeholders, non-profit organizations, scientists, etc., so as to build the RCEP-NGOs platform (We believe that a platform for entrepreneurs will be established in the future, but we will first establish a platform for dialogue and exchange of NGOs). Establish communication, strengthen understanding, participate in dialogues, and make our contribution to better promote the win-win cooperation of RCEP.

2. Research on sustainable development. Promote civil environmental cooperation in international exchanges, such as water resources protection and sustainable use, green products and green certification; Advocate the green rights of consumers, etc.; promote the mutual recognition, cooperation and exchange of standards in the RCEP area.

3. Promote the holding of civil society forums around RCEP. We should work together as think tanks and make suggestions for the development of RCEP.

4. Promote biodiversity conservation in the RCEP area. The mechanism of RCEP has strengthened the connection of human beings, and this opportunity should also be used to strengthen the connection of biodiversity conservation. These include migrating birds, marine life, and many other life forms, as well as all aspects of biodiversity conservation in member states. We must build a mechanism to work together to protect biodiversity.

5. Promote A Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, A Shared Future for All Life on Earth, and A Community of Common Health for Mankind to help build Ecological Civilization in the region. Maintain the environmental public interest in the region, promote addressing climate change, marine connectivity protection, sustainable fishery resources and conservation. Promote cooperation issues with civil organizations in the RCEP region, such as addressing ocean plastic pollution, combating international illegal trade in wildlife, protecting public health and preventing pandemics, and responding to threats to food security from invasive alien species.

Dr. Zhou said: "The CBCGDF RCEP working group started operations today. It is hoped to receive positive responses from NGOs from RCEP countries as soon as possible, and it is hoped to arrange the first online forum as soon as possible." It is hoped to put forward issues such as the promotion of green supply chains, the practice of green meetings, and the promotion of green enterprise initiatives as soon as possible, the promotion of the mainstreaming of biodiversity in the financial and investment fields, and related work such as the promotion of biodiversity assessment standards, a series of tasks are striving to be carried out as soon as possible.

(The above is based on meeting minutes and discussions, for reference only.)

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Links for reference:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/PxzSXRIPj8dX43vVVwwk9w

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-11/15/c_139517507.htm

By / Maggie

https://www.paypal.me/CBCGDFChina

http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/ConfirmDonaTion/0.html