By / Lu Lei

At present, there are around 800,000 social organizations in China, but fewer than 1% of them are playing an active role at the global stage. Moreover, among those already "going out", most of them are charity and poverty alleviation organizations, and few are in the environment field. At the end of 2017, in his Letter of Congratulation to "the First "Silk Road" Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) Cooperative Networks Forum", President Xi Jinping pointed out that, NGOs are an important force promoting socio-economic development, participating in international cooperation and global governance; it is necessary to pay special attention to launching cultural and educational exchanges to enhance civil communication, launching standard abutment to engage in global governance, launching green partnership to construct the civilization route, and launching cooperation in people's livelihood to lead concrete actions with a common goal. In May 2018 at the "National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection", President Xi Jinping clearly pointed out, it is important to work together on the construction of global Eco-civilization and deeply engage in global environmental governance. “Social Governance” held an exclusive interview with the Secretary-General of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, discussing “how social organizations can, from their folk viewpoints, proactively promote China to engage in global environmental governance”.

“Social Governance”: In May 2017 at the opening ceremony of the “Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation”, President Xi Jinping announced “the Construction of “Silk Road” Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) Cooperative Networks”. What are
CBCGDF's contributions to "Belt and Road" construction? What is most important when communicating with non-profitable organizations in countries along the road?

Dr. Zhou: CBCGDF in recent years has expanded the advantages in its understanding of countries along the “Belt and Road” route, attracted more Chinese “Go Out” enterprises, and advised them to carry out local construction work under the prerequisite of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. CBCGDF has also conducted case studies where ecological risks and conflicts arose along the “Belt and Road”, and provided consultative references to relevant policies from the angle of a folk think tank.

Among enterprises’ investment in countries along the “Belt and Road”, not a few large-scale engineering projects are facing many similar ecological questions. For instance, one Chinese company planned to build three large hydropower stations on the Selenga River and its effluents in Mongolia (80% water flows into Lake Baikal). This encountered fierce opposition from local environmental protection organizations because they believed this project would impose tremendous ecological hazards, exerting an irreversible adverse impact on the ecological situation of Lake Baikal. Such long-term impact of overseas engineering construction projects on the ecological environment and biodiversity and the corresponding conflict-resolving mechanisms have not received due attention. For instance, the building of roads, railways, and ports, and power generation will both have an impact on the natural ecological environment. How to minimize the impact as far as possible? How to organically integrate social development and ecological protection? How to garner support from local conservation groups or at least avoid their opposition?

Social organizations should go out positively, which will facilitate mutual understanding and improve China’s reputation internationally and regarding its “Belt and Road” Initiative. Practical work requires the ethics of seeking common ground while reserving differences. When communicating with community organizations in countries along the road, it is essential to seek common ground while reserving differences, identify the mainstream, and guarantee smooth communication. Some actions for enhancing communication must be first taken, which will then have an opportunity to be used to resolve violent conflicts in the future and prevent or reduce ecological problems possibly arising from international cooperation in “Belt and Road”. Especially for the “Go Out” of environmental social organizations, they can positively contribute to the development of “Green Finance” as a third party, and the “Green Development” in countries along the “Belt and Road”.

Take the E40 Waterway Project as an example. E40 is one CBCGDF’s “Belt and Road” ecological case study. In autumn 2018, CBCGDF received a call of help from Ukrainian civil society: One European wild river was being threatened by E40, triggering strong protest from environmental protection organizations in many European areas and “Anti-E40” activities organized by them. CBCGDF went for a field trip to Ukraine and found that E40 would affect various rivers and districts, including several protected areas like national parks, Ramsar sites, and Natura 2000 areas, which meant that E40 would become a threat to a variety of precious natural protected areas in Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine. At present, governments in its basin states continue to seek financial support from diverse sources. Several financial institutions previously considering investing in this project have begun to reevaluate their decision after hearing its risks revealed by an environmental impact assessment. But now, national governments sponsoring E40 is reaching out to China, expecting favor and support from Chinese financial and investment institutions. After the field trip to Ukraine, CBCGDF notified this project’s risks and reminded Chinese financial and investment institutions of E40’s environmental risks.

“Social Governance”: President Xi Jinping has pointed out that non-government organizations represent a crucial force in promoting socio-economic development and taking part in international cooperation and global governance; it is necessary to pay special attention to launching cultural and educational exchanges to enhance civil communication, launching standard abutment to engage in global governance, launching green partnership to construct the civilization route, and launching cooperation in people’s livelihood to lead concrete actions with a common goal. Following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, there has been flourishing development among China’s social organizations. President Xi has also pointed out that civil society organizations should be positively encouraged to “Go Out”, and play a more profound role in propelling civil diplomacy. What’s your opinion about the significance of social organizations’ “Go Out”?

Dr. Zhou: There are undoubtedly significant implications for the “Going Out” social organization diplomacy. Since the 1970s, new global issues like the environment and public health have been increasingly noticed by cooperation at the international level. The widespread of Global Trend Network has accelerated the flow of resources internationally, consolidated inter-country socio-economic and cultural relations, aggravated the complexity of global governance and inter-governmental negotiations and increased the number of governments and NGOs participating in negotiations. For instance, there were 132 national governments and 250 NGOs at the Stockholm Conference (1972); the corresponding numbers rose to 191 and 3200 at the Johannesburg Summit (2002), respectively. NGOs consist of those going beyond national borders, concerning the common interests of the world and sharing the same moral values and visions. They possess expertise in knowledge and information, independent identity and value viewpoint, as well as profound power in propagating, practicing and executing their ideas. In today's intricate global games, their participation in state, social, and international relations and policy influence can no longer be overlooked.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)