The 2007 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) concluded successfully following the completion of all the agendas in the afternoon of November 30. SEPA Minister, Executive Vice Chairperson of CCICED, Mr. Zhou Shengxian delivered the concluding remarks at the AGM.

Minister Zhou said, the theme of this AGM is "Innovation and Environment-friendly Society". All the Council Members have expressed their ideas with zest and gust and proposed numerous foresighted comments and suggestions to the Chinese government. Following three days' in-depth discussion, the AGM has born great results: first, the AGM has reached extensive consensus among all parties. All the Council Members have fully recognized the huge contribution the Chinese government has obtained in the field of environment and development and been full of confidence of the development of environmental protection undertaking of China in the future. China will still be in the key stage of urbanization and industrialization in the near future, the pressure on environmental protection will further mount. Under such a situation, we must take more resolution and efforts in adopting more effective measures to reinforce innovation as well as international exchange and cooperation in environmental protection to address environmental problems emerged in the process of development. Second, the AGM has yielded high-quality policy recommendations. Third, various parties all had the feeling that Chinese state leaders are becoming ever more closer to the Council Members with more in-depth exchange of views, and the Chinese government is increasingly eager to listen to voices from all social sectors. The policy recommendations proposed by CCICED have been widely adopted in the sustainable development of various sectors in China.

Minister Zhou noted, with the further advancement of the sustainable development cause in China, CCICED will play an even more major role and will face more arduous tasks. It should concentrate its efforts in resolving the most prominent environmental problems in China, in the R&D and exchange of environmental technologies, in the education and training of professionals engaged in the line of environmental protection and in the pilot demonstration and promotion of environmental policies and measures. Finally, on behalf of CCICED, Mr. Zhou Shengxian expressed his respect for all the retired Council Members and appreciation to the contributions of all the Council Members and Experts of CCICED in the new Phase.

At the Closing Ceremony of the AGM hosted by the Executive Vice Chairperson of CCICED, Mr. Borge Brende, Mr. Zhu Guangyao, the CCICED Secretary-general, briefed the work arrangement of CCICED, and CCICED Vice Chairperson, Mr. Topfer and Mr. Brende delivered the closing address.