At the conference, Mr. Huang Xiao Jun, Vice-President of Veolia China said that
Economic development and environmental conservation are not mutually incompatible. Through effective means and methods, industrial pollutants can be turned into useful secondary resources. It is entirely possible industrial civilization to nurture/foster environmental protection. As China’s Green Revolution gets underway, this will be an opportune moment for international corporations that want to participate in China’s economic development. By introducing effective environmental conservation technologies from North America and Europe into China, international corporations can have a major role to play in China’s development.
Before the roundtable discussion, Vice Governor of Guizhou made a speech concerning China’s transition into “New Normal” economic growth era and how Guizhou and its traditional industries can embrace this new stage of development.
There has been a common understanding among countries and MNCs that building ecological civilization is the pathway to realize sustainable development under the globalization paradigm. China’s Green Revolution will be a comprehensive initiative that involves technological innovation and industrial structural adjustment to pursue development in green production, energy, consumption and culture.
General Representative of Total in China said that under current environmental situation, it is crucial for the government to develop and utilize clean energy through increasing energy efficiency and cutting down emissions, integrating low carbon criteria into all investment decisions, implementing carbon trading mechanism to government, personal and company level.
MNCs have an imperative role to play in emission reduction and energy conservation, but joint effort between government and MNCs will be necessary in tackling environmental problems.
Vice Chairman of Kerry Properties noted that the Conference revealed how high the Chinese government has put the environment on its agenda and also presented MNCs an opportunity to contribute towards issues like environmental protection and food safety such as establishing a secure food logistics system that would safeguard food quality and freshness.