The Asia21 Young Leader Spotlight

Wen Bo is Pacific Environment's Beijing-based China Program Director where he is working to develop the organization's China project. Wen Bo graduated from the China School of Journalism in Beijing and earned his Masters Degree in International Relations at the KDI School of International Policy and Management in Seoul, South Korea. He is a founder of the China Green Student Forum, which is now a network of more than 100 student environmental groups. He was a journalist at China Environment News from 1996 to 1998 and studied for a certificate course at the Center for Environment Education in India in 1997. In 2000, he set up a Greenpeace office in Beijing and is currently on the China Advisory Board of Global Greengrants Fund to facilitate the growth of environmental communities in China.

1. What are the three biggest environmental challenges faced by China?

Water problems, the collapse of natural ecosystems, and a huge population.

Water issues, such as water scarcity and pollution, have been affecting everyone's life. Most waterways in China are seriously polluted. Water shortage in many regions has become a bottleneck for sustainable economic development. And in many Chinese rural communities, clean water has become the most hard-to-get daily necessity.

Natural ecosystems in China are collapsing fast. From its coastal seas to Tibetan plateau, loss of bio-diversity, over-exploitation of natural resources, massive industrial and hydropower projects, climate changes, and so on, are all casting grave threats towards the health of the country's ecosystems. The very living systems which support human settlements are falling apart.

China has made huge efforts to control its population growth. However, the sheer size of its population makes the country the world's biggest consumer of various forms of resources. Though a developing country, collectively China's ecological footprint on our planet is sizeable.

2. Pan Yue, Vice Director of China's State Environmental Protection Administration, expressed that China's current environmental protection movement differs from that of the past in part because of the emergence of a large number of NGOs and grassroots organizations and because environmental protection is no longer just an environmental issue, but a political experiment. He said, "Environmental issues are political issues." How much do you think environmental issues are political issues?

Yes, I agree with Mr. Pan Yue. Environmental issues are indeed political issues in China. Many people think environmental issues are mostly related with science and technology. This is a rather narrow-minded way of thinking. Unfortunately many decision-makers still address China's environmental challenges from this attitude.

If looking into the core reasons of most environmental problems in China, you would find they are deeply rooted in political, economic and social problems of the country. And these systematic problems are "diseases," and the environmental problem is just one of many "symptoms."

I believe clean government and rule of law would help solve many environmental problems. Most environmental cases are related to corrupt officials or ineffective governmental agencies. So the government should be held accountable by people, otherwise we are not addressing the core issues.

3. Is there accountability in the government's efforts to reduce energy consumption and other environmental efforts?

The Chinese government definitely wants to reduce its energy consumption and take environmental problems seriously. But when you look closer at China, it is not one government. The central government certainly wants to keep its promise and they understand by failing it, they lose the trust of its own people and the international community. So the challenge is enforcement and how effectively the central government could exercise its power, politically and economically, to enable local governments and related ministries to act in the same way.

4. How closely do NGOs work together with government agencies such as the State Environmental Protection Administration?

Chinese NGOs are very supportive of the government environmental agenda. They are natural allies of the Chinese government and supporters of its environmental policies. Unfortunately, the government is still suspicious about its best possible friends.

The State Environmental Protection Administration is one ministerial level agency which seems to be supportive of environmental groups. They know the groups are working in their interest.

5. What will China's "lasting environmental legacy" be as a result of the 2008 Olympics?

From the 2008 Olympics, the Chinese government could possibly gain more confidence. They would be able to realize foreign countries are not against China and they wish China would do well too. Such confidence and better communication with the rest of the world would lead to a greater openness within the Chinese government. And it possibly would allow more active citizen participation in environmental efforts.

6. Will China use the Olympics as a positive stepping stone in enforcing promised environmental programs?

Yes, this is what the Beijing government is doing. And I believe a very real reason for China's bidding to host the Olympics is to use it as a catalyst for change.

7. Why do you think it has been particularly difficult to motivate people about the environment in China?

The Chinese government has still not realized the importance of citizen efforts in dealing with environmental problems as well as many other social problems. Some governmental officials are still so fearful of citizen power. They worry so much that organized citizen groups will create social instability or undermine their ruling status. However, since the environmental crisis in China is so serious and complicated, it is beyond the capacity of the government to address alone. They cannot just try to hide the problems, silence the public voice and wait for the crisis to explode and become totally out of control.

8. What are three key questions people should ask themselves when thinking through these issues?

1. Am I loyal to my heart and following my dream?

2. Am I behaving like a responsible citizen?

3. Do I have to wait to take more concrete actions?