Facing environmental callenges, promoting green development

Looking back, the international community has exerted massive efforts to address environmental issues, but expect for a few ones, the overall situation is deteriorating. Biodiversity loss, climate change, water crisis, chemical pollution, and land degradation have not been effectively resolved. In most developing countries, the deterioration of environmental quality is exacerbated by population expansion, industrialization, and urbanization, as well as transfer of pollution from developed countries, adding difficulty in control.

Looking ahead, we expect a green and prosperous world which is free from the excessive request and ravages of human and strikes a harmonious balance of economic, social and environmental development. It should be the long-term vision of efforts to face environmental challenges and promote green development.

It necessitates a sound system for international environmental governance with the concerted efforts of all nations. In this respect, the international community should strengthen cooperation, consensus and mutual trust. United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) should fully play its leadership role in the field of environment, such as improving instruction, coordination and implementation capacity, strengthening the voice and decision of developing countries, removing barriers in capital, technique and capacity building in developing countries, and forging new partnerships with international organizations, governments and the public.

It requires the thought of fair, just, open, and inclusive development. Nations should have the courage to take joint responsibility for protecting the earth, but also face the objective reality of development stage and levels, and comply with the Rio principles, in particular common but differentiated responsibilities. Developing countries should develop and implement sustainable development strategies based on national realties, while developed countries should fulfill the commitments by changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and assisting developing countries to build up capacity for sustainable development.

It needs to set reasonable and feasible goals of sustainable development. In relation to the direction of future environment and development around the world, these objectives should help developing countries to achieve their development goals with full consideration to their development stages and difficulties, and drive ahead the common progress of all countries. UNEP should provide scientific support for environmental goals and act a coordinating role in the implementation, so as to effectively help developing countries to build up capacity and accomplish the goals.

As the specific initiatives to implement results of the "Rio +20" Summit, UNEP UNEA will draw a new green blueprint for the world. I look forward to this meeting fruitful. China would like to strengthen cooperation with UNEP, share opportunities and face challenges with countries around the world on green development, environmental governance capacity, and international environmental cooperation, and write a new chapter for global environment and development.

The author is the Minister of Environmental Protection of China.