The inaugural 2008 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum consolidated its platform on solid grounds with the attendance of some 850 participants from overseas and Mainland China gathered day to address environmental issues of international co-operation, energy security, water resources management and sustainable development. The programme of the second day forum broadened to cover the inter-related issues of energy saving and emission reduction, efficient use and treatment of water resources, clean manufacturing, intelligent eco-city and sustainable transportation. Four main streams of exchanges, presentations, and discussions were organized concurrently to facilitate the flow and output the forum. On the second stream on agenda for international co-operation, the Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong SAR, Mr Edward Yau, highlighted the importance of regional and international cooperation in tackling environmental issues. Mr Alessandro Amadio, Industrial Development Officer of UNIDO, explained the UN-China Climate Change Partnership Framework, which involves nine UN institutions, various ministries and partners from private sector. These parties provided up-to-date knowledge and most advanced technology in tackling climate change. One of the most important tasks for this framework is to formulate China’s post-Kyoto Protocol strategies and action plans together with partners from all over the world. On the stream on energy saving and emission reduction, presentations on outlook and achievement of pollution emission reduction in Guangdong and colourful Yunnan provinces attracted much interest, because of the environmental challenges facing “one of the most performing factory of the world in the case of Guangdong” and thanks to the bio-diversity wealth of the Yunnan province. On the other hand, the topic of Bio-Fuel development in Brasil and the studies of its implementation in China also received much attention. Energy efficiency was the over-arching theme of the exchanges with Chinese delegates and foreign experts discussing their respective offers of state-of-the-art solutions and best practices. Presentations by the community of Chinese scientists presented at 2008 MIECF reflected a strong commitment to the ideal of “thinking green, going clean and living cool”. A point in case was Professor Zhang Kunmin’s paper on “China in a Low-carbon World: Its role, challenges and strategies”, which reviewed China’s strategy for building up a sustainable energy policy framework, and its commitment to a National Climate Change Programme. Foreign experts from three continents, from Europe, America and Asia, took turn to share their eco-solutions on the wind energy, the fastest growing industry in the world, which had grown at a compound rate of 24% for the last 10 years. Of particular interest is the recommendation of the use of Intelligent Energy as a sensible sustainable approach for Macao along with suggestions of how IE might be applied within the SAR to minimize the impact of the rapid expansion of the gaming and hospitality industry in Macao. On the concurrent stream on Efficient Use and Treatment of Water Resources, there was a strong consensus on the concept of “Integrated Approach in the Water Sector Basing on the Sustainable Balance of the Ecological, Economic and Social Aspects”. Sustainability means first of all simply to meet the ecological, economic and social demands of today without compromising the ability of further generations to do the same. Dr Martin Grambow, and European authority in water resources management concluded that “the picture of the worldwide water situation is bleak, it is high time to react. He seemed to echoed Vice Minister of Ministry of Water Resources of China Mr. Hu Siyi who made a convincing presentation on the concept and roadmap for a “water-saving society, as the most basic and efficient solution of the problem of limited water resources. According to the general master-plan of the water-saving society development in the 11th Five-Year Plan, the discrepancy of water supply and demands should be reduced from 35 billion steres to 22 billion steres. Clean water technology from Singapore as also presented as a new model of recycling waste water, while European technology of desalination and water reuse was also recommended as a solution for sustainable water management. The same panel also listened to a presentation on a Korean conceptual design of water reuse system for urban center regeneration. Several experts from the industry sector, who have been working in various pioneer projects in China also made the case for the eco-technologies and innovative solutions on the best way to manage the scared water resources. Another well-attended stream of discussions combined clean manufacturing, eco and intelligent city and sustainable transportation. All these three topics are interrelated and their solutions represent a comprehensive and integrated approach to eco-footprint of economic development. Clean development mechanisms have been implemented over the last decade under the Kyoto Protocol, and various showcases were presented during the stream, including implementation of CDM in Thailand, cleaner production by Hongkong-owned factories in the Pearl River Delta region. Experiment from Guangdong province, such as waste recycling and reuse was offered as a new model of recycling economy, while a Finnish model for solid waste management with the integration of clean technologies was also presented. Intelligent building was the next topic of great interest in the stream of discussions. Various models and concepts were offered to fit differentiated needs in a vast and diverse emerging construction and building market in China. From high-rise building to landed housing, intelligent and green building concepts were offered as showcases as eco-solutions for the future. Advancement in technology nowadays allows originality and creativity, while promoting economy and sustainability. Sustainable transport, such as e-bicycles and light transit train in China, was also a topic of attention, while air pollution and urban heat constantly came back in the discussions over the urban crisis. Whatever eco-solutions and green technologies proposed, the ultimate issue remains human behaviour and public participation, And this begin with environmental education. 2008 MIECF with the delivery of some 60 papers of high standard represents a solid foundation for the development of the international cooperation platform with extensive participation and interaction between leaders, policy planners, scientists, experts and businesses from China and overseas. The event bodes well for the future of MIECF in the implementation of the ideal of “Thinking Green, Going Clean and Living Cool”.
