On 16 April Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks will be travelling to China. The five-day trip will be centred around the 5th Sino-German Environment Forum in Nanjing which will focus on inclusive and sustainable growth. Other topics to be covered during the visit include nature conservation, climate action and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Minister Hendricks will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of economic experts and representatives from environmental associations.
Since 2003, the Sino-German Environment Forums have been an integral part of the strategic environmental dialogue between the two countries. The forums are organised on a regular basis by both countries' environment ministries in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and the China Association of Environmental Protection Industry (CAEPI).
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks: "There is a long tradition of politics and industry at the Sino-German Environment Forum. There is great potential in environmental protection in both countries - at economic and societal level. We will be discussing specific problems in many areas such as air pollution control and water management, soil conservation and resource efficiency with the German and Chinese environmental industries with the goal of finding concrete solutions."
During the two-day environment forum, Chinese and German experts from the fields of politics, industry and the scientific community will be discussing the following topics: Sustainable consumption and production patterns, green procurement, resource efficiency, air pollution control, water management, soil conservation and biodiversity. The aim of the forum is to support an exchange between politics, industry and civil society and thus strengthen environmental cooperation between the two countries.
In Shanghai, the first stop of the trip, Minister Hendricks will be visiting the Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve which due to its wealth of species has been placed under the protection of the Ramsar Convention. In addition, Minister Hendricks will be speaking to the CEO of the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange about the introduction of emissions trading in China. She will also meet with the Governor of the Jiangsu Province to discuss existing cooperation on climate action and environmental protection.