Hosted by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the 2011 Macao International Environmental Cooperation Exhibition and Forum (2011 MIECF) will open this Thursday at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The event will run for three consecutive days, from March 31 to April 2. Chief Executive of Macao SAR, Mr. Fernando Chui Sai On will officiate at the opening ceremony. MIECF will gather the world´s top environmental government officials and experts and academics in the field to discuss the latest environmental issues and will be a meeting point for leading and well-known domestic and overseas exhibitors to create opportunities in the environmental business. Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and Macao Environemntal Protection Bureau (DSPA) will act as host coordinators for the event. As in the past, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People´s Republic of China have consented to be the special supporting organizations. The event also include as co-organizers, the governments of the 9 provinces in the Pan-Pearl River Delta and the Government of Hong Kong SAR. MIECF is an exhibition and forum event of the highest level in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region. MIECF´s main theme for this year is “Green Opportunities - Low Carbon Urban Development”, to promote "Green Cities, Smart Technology, Sustainable Growth", in line with the emission reduction strategy of the Central Government and the environmental policies of the Macao SAR Government. Through a series of professional exhibition and convention activities, along with the Green Business Cooperation Day, business matching sessions, Green Public Day and a wide array of other interactive activities, MIECF aims to promote local, regional and international cooperation and to share the latest environmental technologies and solutions, aiming to create business opportunities to the enterprises, disseminate the green spirit and to act an exchange platform between governments entities and academic institutions. Mr. Wang Shancheng, Deputy Director General, Department of Resources Conservation & Environment Protection, National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC, representing Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Deputy Director of National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC and Ms. Song Xiaozhi, Deputy Director General of Department of International Cooperation and Deputy Director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Ministry of Environmental Protection of the PRC, representing Mr. Zhou Shengxian, Minister of Environmental Protection of the PRC, will both deliver keynote addresses. Mr. Joschka Fischer, Former Vice Chancellor and Former Foreign Minister of Germany, will also deliver a keynote speech on “Decoupling Growth and Emissions - a Roadmap to a Prosperous Decarbonized Future”. Keynote address by another important keynote speaker, Mr. Klaus Toepfer, Former United Nations Undersecretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, will be presented on the next day (April 1). Representatives attending the opening ceremony will include the Governor of Hunan Province, Xu Shousheng, the Deputy Governor of Fujian Province, Ye Shuangyu, the Deputy Governor of Guangdong Province, Lin Musheng, the Deputy President of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Yang Daoxi, the Deputy Governor or Hainan Province, Li Xiuling, the Deputy Governor of Guizhou Province, Sun Guoqiang, the Vice President of the Standing Committee of the National People´s Congress of Yunnan Province, Li Chunlin, the Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Bureau of Sichuan Province, Jiang Xiaoting, the Inspector of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Jiangxi Province, Wu Jianmen, the Deputy Director of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce of China, Sun Tong, the Chief Representative of the Representative Office in Hong Kong and Macao of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Dong Jiayang, the Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Edward Yau, and the Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland, Esko Hamilo. The exhibition and business matching activities of this year´s MIECF will be held for three consecutive days. A series of activities and forums in connection with the Green Business Cooperation Day will be held in the afternoon of the first day. Other forums will take place on the second day, while the last day – April 2 (Saturday) is reserved for Green Public Day, when members of the public are welcome. This year´s MIECF will exhibit important products of the green industry, including solar energy, biomass energy, wind energy, hybrid energy systems, electric cars and hybrid vehicles, charging stations, battery and battery storage solutions, building technology, facilities management, smart grid, waste disposal, water conservation, air pollution control, noise control, project financing and consultancy. Besides the Macao Pavilion, the Pan-Pearl River Delta Provinces and Regions Zone, the European Pavillion, the United States Zone and the International Exhibition Zone, several business associations and chambers of commerce related to the environmental sector have set-up their respective exhibition zones inside the venue, including the Macao Association of Environmental Protection Industry, Macao Energy Saving Association, Macao Ecological Society, Macao International Green Industry Union, Green Environment Protection Association of Macao and “Macau, China – Centro para o Estudo e Desenvolvimento da Indústria das Energias Renovaváveis entre Ásia-Pacífico e América Latina”. At 2.30 p.m. on the first day of the MIECF (March 31), a series of activities related with the Green Business Cooperation Day will be held, including forums, networking cocktail party and protocols signing ceremony. Green Forum will comprise two major themes, namely: “Exploring Green Market Business Opportunities” and “Opportunities in Green Sectors: E-Mobility”. Experts and senior representatives of the world´s leading enterprises were especially invited to make an in-depth exploration around these issues. Speakers will include Tongfan Co., Ltd. (China´s Top 100 IT enterprise), EDP Internacional, Beijing Origin Water Technology Incorporation Company, Wal-Mart (China) Investment Co., Ltd., BWM, Scania, BYD, GIZ, CEM (from Macao), Zotype, Zhuhai Jetco and CLP, as well as representatives of the Chinese and foreign governments, and also environmental organizations and business representatives. Green Business Cooperation Day is jointly organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), AICEP Portugal Global, Macao Chamber of Commerce, European Union Chamber of Commerce in Chinam European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the American Chamber of Commerce in Macau, the American Chamber of Commerce in South China and the European Union Business Information Programme. Since its inception in 2008, MIECF has been successfully held for three consecutive years in Macao. There has been a continuing growth in the number of exhibitors, exhibition area and the number of professional representatives present. Last year´s MIECF attracted altogether 5,990 representatives of companies from 47 countries and regions, the exhibition venue was 13,400 square metres and the number of exhibitors totalled 362. This fully demonstrates the successful role played by MIECF as an important green platform for South China and the Pan-PRD Region. For related enquiries, please contact the MIECF Secretariat at tel. (853) 8798-8675, fax (853) 2872-7123, e-mail miecf@ipim.gov.mo or navigate the following official MIECF website: www.macaomief.com
