Jointly organised by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association, Macao Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), “Low-Carbon Economy Forum”, one of the main events in the Green Forum series at the 2010 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Exhibition and Forum (2010MIECF), took place at the Sicily Room of Venetian-Macao-Resort. at 3:00 p.m today (9 April). Several Chinese government officials, experts, academics and business executives in the petrochemical and energy fields presented their views and shared their experience, programs and research results on climate change and low-carbon development and explored the role of the petrochemical industry in low-carbon in initiative drives, challenges facing the construction of low-carbon cities and the status of the long-term co-operation on low-carbon city development, between China and the United States. Low-Carbon Economy Forum was presided over by the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr. Lau Si Io, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People´s Government in the Macao SAR, Ms. Gao Yin, Chief of the Comprehensive Affairs Department of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People´s Republic of China in Macao SAR, Mr. Ma Ya’ou, President of China Petroleum and Petrochemical Association, Mr. Li Yongwu, the Representative of Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Deputy Inspector of the Department of Climate Change, Mr. Sun Zhen, Deputy Director of Personnel Division of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Mr. Ren Yong, Vice Governor of Hunan Province, Mr. Guo Hailong, Director of Macao Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA), Mr. Cheong Sio Kei, and the Acting President of Macao Trade & Investment Promotion Institute, Ms. Echo Chan. Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Lau Si Io, Secretary for Transport and Public Works, said that the world is facing ecological and environmental problems and that the situation is becoming more and more complex. He stressed on the urgency in drawing a green policy to support sustainable development. Mr. Lau said that, late last year, at the United National Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen, Premier Wen Jiabao said that China has set the target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45 percent by year 2020, from the 2005 level. Mr. Lau Si Io said that the Macao SAR Government would fully co-operate to achieve this long-term objective, through planning and source management, so as to carry out a comprehensive environmental strategy in an orderly manner. At the forum, six speakers expressed their views on low carbon economy and shared their experience and research results with the audience. Ms. Zhang Ailing, Professor of Tsinghua University and concurrently PMO Manager, Renewable Energy Development Program, said that our country, in developing a low-carbon strategy, should firstly consider the following aspects: change the mode of development, from high energy consumption, high pollution and high emissions, low value-added carbon development model into a low power consumption, low pollution, low emission, high value-added and low-carbon development model, having as objective the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; focus on the development, utilization and innovation of low-carbon technology; afforestation; establishment of a strong organisation system: perfect the relevant laws and regulations; stabilise technological investment; implement industrial policy and related tax incentive policies to promote low-carbon industry; mobilise all forces of the community to advocate low-carbon consumption patterns. Mr. Shi Xiangping, Vice President, China National Petroleum and Chemical Planning Institute, spoke on “The Role of Petroleum and Chemical Industry in Developing Low-carbon Economy”, stressing that its positive role is to strengthen energy conservation and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases from oil and chemical products among the industry operators, while providing, at the same time, relevant products and technology know-how to other industries, so as to promote the reduction of gas emissions during the economic development process. Mr. Zhang Suian, Professor of China National Bureau of Energy / China Petrol University, made an introduction on the financial subsidies available to enterprises in China for the development and use of CBM (including gas exploration). He said that the subsidy from the central government is set a standard of RMB 0.2 RMB per cut meter of coalbed methane (off net), and said that the local governments´ subsidy may be based on local conditions, having the local governments the autonomy to decide on the concrete terms and conditions of such financial subsidies. Mr. Bill Li, President, SDR Consultancy Group analysed the challenges facing low-carbon city development and the status of Sino-US Long-Term Cooperation on Low-carbon City Development. He pointed out that the major challenge for the development of low-carbon city is how to set achievable goals, executable programs and measurable results, and that for the development and construction of low-carbon city, one should focus on working closely with the existing businesses, in order to combine new energy industries with the traditional businesses. At the same time, capacity-building and public awareness are the bases for the construction of low-carbon city, according to Mr. Bill Li. In addition, Mr. John Fotheringham, Acetyl Intermediates, Global General Manager, Celanese (China) Holding Co., Ltd., Mr. Jin Teng, Section Chief, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, spoke, respectively, on “Celanese: Enhnancing Our Future Sustainability Today” and “CNOOC´s Response for the Climate Change: Policies and Practices.
