The 2017 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (2017MIECF) opened today (30 March)
The 2017 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (2017MIECF) opened today (30 March). The three-day event is being held at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, taking as its theme “Innovative Green Development for a Sustainable Future”. People working in environmental protection enterprises and government representatives, as well as experts and scholars, gathered in Macao to discuss the most pressing environmental issues, and to share the latest developments regarding information and technology concerning environmental protection. MIECF continues to play a role as an international “green platform”, providing various supporting services and facilitating co-operation between enterprises, in order to create fresh business opportunities.
The opening ceremony of 2017MIECF was held at 10:00am today. The Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Dr. Fernando Chui Sai On, said in his welcoming speech that MIECF has been working since the event’s first edition in 2008 – and in line with guidelines from the Central Government – on promoting exchanges and closer co-operation in the environmental protection sector between the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Region, Macao and the international community.
In addition, MIECF has partly contributed to the signing of the “Cooperation Agreement on Working Together to Build a Green MICE Metropolis”. Macao has organised visits to Brazil and Portugal by representatives from the provincial and regional governments of the PPRD Region, in order to learn more about ecological conservation methods in those countries, and to strengthen environmental co-operation. Further aims of these visits included: helping member economies acquire further technologies from overseas that are related to advanced concepts of green stewardship; assisting Mainland China’s green industries in reaching out to the rest of the world; and to promote further exchanges between PPRD Region members, the European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries, jointly creating a green development community, said Dr. Chui. Macao will additionally grasp the development opportunities of Mainland China’s "Belt and Road" initiative, accelerating the implementation of the "Centre and Platform" project, while promoting environmental co-operation and developing a green economy.
In his speech, Mr. Ren Shuben, Director of the Department of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China, said that the theme of this year’s edition of MIECF was in line with the current reality and conformed to the international trend. The National Development and Reform Commission would actively promote the convergence between the implementation of Macao’s Five-Year Development Plan and that of the National 13th Five-Year Plan, by enhancing policy communication via information exchange and industrial collaboration between the Mainland and Macao, in order to continuously support the ecological and environmental protection work by the Macao SAR Government. The Commission would also fully support the Macao SAR Government in the organisation of MICE events, building a green path for joint development.
Mr. Wu Yuanbin, Director of the Department of Science and Technology for Social Development, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China – representing Mr. Xu Nanping, Vice-Minister – said that the Mainland and Macao enjoyed a very close scientific and technological co-operation. Both sides had started a great variety of co-operation in many sectors related to environment protection, including: traffic pollution control, evaluation of electric vehicles with regard to energy saving and reduction of emissions, electronic waste treatment and indoor air purification technology. In all these areas, the two sides have achieved fruitful results in promoting the green development of Macao. This year, the two sides will also jointly support a “Study on Macao’s Ecosystem and Management".
Mr. Xu Bijiu, National Environmental Protection Inspector-General of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China – representing Minister Chen Jining – pointed out that on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of MIECF, an historic moment, Macao and the Mainland would continue to enrich the event’s content and expand co-operation. The Ministry would continue to support the event, in the hope that participants from different sectors would make good use of MIECF’s role as a platform, so as to exchange their ideas and experience, learn from each other, enhance co-operation and make greater contributions to the promotion of green development. Mr. Carlos Martins, Secretary of State of Environment of Portugal, who was also attending the opening ceremony, said that this year's conference is of great importance to both the EU and the world's sustainable development agenda, as well as to governments’ policies and strategies.
Mr. Yang Tiesheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China – representing Mr. Xin Guobin, Vice Minister – said that since its inception in 2008, MIECF had gradually developed into an important platform in the PPRD Region, connecting Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the world regarding discussions on green development issues. In addition, the keynote speaker at 2017MIECF, Mr. Achim Steiner, delivered a speech on the opportunities and challenges related to a green economy.
The 2017MIECF will continue tomorrow with its “Green Showcase” and “Green Matching”, as well as seminars and presentation sessions. The keynote speaker, Mr. Steiner, will hold a special session sharing insights related to "Harnessing Environmental Innovation as Key Driver for Sustainable Development”; he will also exchange views with session participants. The “Green Forum” will hold various sessions to explore topics related to the green economy and green buildings.
The officiating guests of the opening ceremony included: the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr. Yao Jin; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr. Ye Dabo; the Vice Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Mr. Chhuon Dara; the Executive Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Fujian Province, Mr. Zhang Zhinan; the Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Jiangxi Province; Mr. Zheng Wei Wen; the Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, Mr. Xu Ruisheng; the Executive Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Hainan Province, Mr. Mao Chaofeng; the Vice-Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, Mr. Yang Hongbo; the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial People’s Congress, Mr. Wang Kemin; the Executive Vice Chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Bai Chengliang; the Vice Chairman of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Huang Jiapei; the Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong SAR, Mr. Wong Kam-sing; the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, Mr. Leong Vai Tac; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works of the Macao SAR, Mr. Raimundo Arrais do Rosário; the Director of the Oxford Martin School, International Vice-Chair of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and a former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Mr. Achim Steiner; and the Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department of the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Ou Bo.