CCG and UN Women hold symposium on International Women’s Day

On March 8th, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and UN Women China hosted “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow: a symposium on biodiversity and climate change from a gender perspective” at CCG’s Beijing headquarters.

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【English】

 

【Chinese】

 

The conventions of COP15 in Kunming and COP26 in Glasgow have brought to the fore the pressing global challenges that face our planet and highlights the need to incorporate the issue of gender equality in the process of tackling climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Climate stabilization and environmental sustainability go hand in hand with gender equality. Caring for people and caring for the planet require different stakeholders to work together for the empowerment of all women of all ages.

During this special event, held on International Women’s Day, a group of representatives from Chinese government agencies, foreign embassies, UN entities, financial institutions, academia, leading think tanks and business executives, gathered to offer insights and practices on gender-responsive climate change and environmental policies and programs, and to identify actions that enable gender-just climate action.

 

“The world needs the sensitivity of women, and the voice of women should weigh in more on the decision-making in matters of global governance, especially issues that are related to protecting our planet earth. More consideration should also be given to views from women in the process of inclusive globalization and multilateralism.”

– Mabel Miao, CCG Secretary-General

 

“When women are empowered to participate and lead meaningfully, it makes climate action more effective. Existing global evidence shows that women’s participation leads to better outcomes in natural resource management and climate interventions at the local level. ”

– Smriti Aryal, Country Representative of UN Women China

LI Gao, Director-General of Climate Change Adaptation Department at China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment

CAI Fang, Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation at China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA)

HU Yuhong, Deputy Head of the Centre of International Cooperation and representatives of China’s Ministry of Emergency Management

KONG Dongmei, Chairwoman of Dong Run Foundation

 

CCG Secretary-General Mabel Miao gave welcome remarks, followed by opening address by Smriti Aryal, Country Representative of UN Women China. Special addresses were then given by LI Gao, Director-General of Climate Change Adaptation Department at China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment; CAI Fang, Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation at China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA); HU Yuhong, Deputy Head of the Centre of International Cooperation and representatives of China’s Ministry of Emergency Management; and KONG Dongmei, Chairwoman of Dong Run Foundation.

H.E. Helena Sångeland, Ambassador of Sweden, on Sweden’s Feminist Development Policy

H.E. James Kimonyo, Ambassador of Rwanda

Beate Trankmann, Resident Representative of UNDP China

FAN Shenggen, Chair Professor at China Agricultural University

“Setting the scene session”, invited four speakers to share their opinions from different perspectives – H.E. Helena Sångeland, Ambassador of Sweden, on Sweden’s Feminist Development Policy; H.E. James Kimonyo, Ambassador of Rwanda, on supporting rural women in Rwanda to develop their climate resilience; Beate Trankmann, Resident Representative of UNDP China, on Embedding SDG principles in climate financing and investments; and FAN Shenggen, Chair Professor at China Agricultural University, on women’s important roles at climate change issue. This session was moderated by Smriti Aryal.

Moderator: Mr. Birat Lekhak, Programme and Partnership Specialist, UN Women China

H.E. Ms. Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Ambassador of Finland to China

Ms. Justine Coulson, UNFPA Representative to China

Mr. Matteo Marchisio, Country Director in the Asia and the Pacific Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Mr. WANG Chunyi, Executive Vice President and Research Fellow, China Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association (CECRPA)

Ms. PENG Yijie, President of Social Good and Green Development, Ant Group

Dr. HU Yukun, Research Fellow, Institute for Global Health and Development at Peking University

A roundtable was then held to discuss two separate themes. The first was titled “Integrating gender perspectives into climate change, environmental and biodiversity protection policies, programmes, and financing” and was moderated by Birat Lekhak, Programme and Partnership Specialist from UN Women China.

 

Moderator:  Dr. WANG Huiyao, President of Center for China and Globalization (CCG)

Ms. DONG Ruiping, Vice President of Government Affairs, Herbal Life China

Ms. LI Ye, Vice President of Government Affairs, Merck China

Ms. Roberta Lipson, Founder and CEO, United Family Hospital (UFH)

Ms. Margaret Ren, Chairman of Asia Pacific Corporate and Investment Banking (GCIB) and Chairman at Bank of America China

Ms. Miranda Wang, Managing Director, ETS China

Ms. Jenny Zeng, Managing Partner, MSA Capital

The second theme revolved around the title “Women in global governance: role of multi-stakeholder partnership in advancing gender equality related SDGs” and was moderated by CCG President Wang Huiyao.

Full list of roundtable participants (in alphabetic order): 

– Ms. Justine Coulson, UNFPA Representative to China: Intersections between climate change/environment and Sexual Reproductive Health of Women

– Ms. DONG Ruiping, Vice President of Government Affairs, Herbal Life China

– Dr. HU Yukun, Research Fellow, Institute for Global Health and Development at Peking University: Empowering Women to Adapt to Climate Change in Rural China

– Ms. LI Ye, Vice President of Government Affairs, Merck China

– Ms. Roberta Lipson, Founder and CEO, United Family Hospital (UFH)

– Mr. Matteo Marchisio, Country Director in the Asia and the Pacific Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): Allocating loans for targeted interventions on gender and climate change – IFAD’s in-country and global experiences

– H.E. Ms. Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Ambassador of Finland to China: Finland’s experience and lessons learnt on gender responsive climate policies and gender responsive budget allocations

– Ms. PENG Yijie, President of Social Good and Green Development, Ant Group: The role of the private sector in the intersection of gender and climate change.

– Ms. Margaret Ren, Chairman of Asia Pacific Corporate and Investment Banking (GCIB) and Chairman at Bank of America China

– Mr. WANG Chunyi, Executive Vice President and Research Fellow, China Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association (CECRPA): Concept and examples of “ecological civilization” and how women could participate, contribute, and equally benefited from the process from a policy perspective.

– Ms. Miranda Wang, Managing Director, ETS China

– Ms. Jenny Zeng, Managing Partner, MSA Capital 

 

List of observers (in alphabetic order): 

– Ms. Rebecca Ding, Founder and CEO, WeBranding Global, CCG Senior Council Member

– Ms. FU Jun, Executive Director of Beijing-Hong Kong Youth Exchange and Development Foundation

– Ms. LIU Chang, Vice President of Knorr-Bremse Asia Pacific

– Ms. LIU Kan, Deputy Director, Secretariat of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development & Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Ecology and Environment

– Ms. LIU Xiaoqian, Corporate Account Director, WeWork China

– Ms. PAN Jun, President and CEO, Fazheng Group

– Ms. SUN Ming, Vice President of Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS)

– Mr. Knut Thonstad, Counsellor, Embassy of Norway

– Ms. Diana Yao, Vice President of Government Affairs, BMW Greater China, , CCG Senior Council Member

– Mr. ZENG Wei, Director of Corporate Affairs, Merck China

– Ms. ZHANG Xuan, General Manager of Beijing Branch, Wailian Overseas Consulting Group