From Feb. 20-22, SEPA Vice Minister Li Ganjie led a delegation from the Chinese government to attend the 10th UN Special Session of the Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum held in Monaco.

This Special Session and Ministerial Forum feature two themes. One is raising fund to meet the challenge of climate change, and the other is strengthening international environmental management to facilitate the reform of United Nations.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon sent a letter of congratulations to the meeting, extending his congratulations to the smooth convocation of the meeting and making an appeal to all countries to develop green economy, incorporate environmental protection into the mainstream of socioeconomic development and take strategic measures to promote Bali roadmap to address the challenge of climate change. Executive Director of UNEP delivered policy address in which a broad range of issues were expounded such as global environment state, policies and measures to raise funds to combat climate change, strengthening international environmental management and promoting reform of United Nations. The Executive Director also introduced mid-term development strategy of UNEP, its strategic objectives, priority field and strategic measures.

February 20th was the first day of discussion which focused on fund raising to combat climate change, particularly on how national policy will promote investment of private sectors. The Chinese delegation pointed out that climate change, as a global issue drawing high attention from the world, concerned the subsistence and development of human kind and thus called for the joint efforts of all countries. Adaptation and mitigation of climate change was an urgent task for all countries, and developing countries in particular. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, developed countries should provide funds for the developing world to address climate change, expanding the scale and sources of existing financial mechanism and support developing countries with measurable, reportable and verifiable funds as provided in the Bali roadmap. Government departments, international financial organizations and international aid institutions are major investors in the campaign against climate change. Local companies and financial institutes serve as the basis and important force of financing and governments need to offer correct guidance and incentives to facilitate private companies to make investment in climate change.

The Chinese delegation also made remarks on such issues as mid-term strategy of UNEP, chemical management and global environment outlook, expounding the position of China and efforts China has made.