China faces unprecedented environmental challenges with its accelerated population growth and rapid economic development. This will lead to significant global impact if sustainability practices are not promptly implemented. ECA and its Chinese partners recognize that China can take a decisive leadership role in international environmental support for the goals of sustainability. Chinese environmental agencies, organizations, and scientists are focusing on the strategic choices that China will need to make to grow, innovate, and contribute to world sustainability while it experiences rapid industrialization.

Implementing key strategies to address challenges is central to this process and includes building creative links between Chinese sustainability efforts and those in other areas of the world for the purposes of sharing technical knowledge, funding resources, and best practices. Development of on the ground, community level initiatives are essential.

In 2005, ECA conducted interviews with 25 of the world’s recognized leaders from various sectors in the sustainable development movement. These leaders agreed that China, and India, present the most complex challenges to realizing global sustainable development.

The ECA China Initiative is comprised of three facets:

1. International Conference on Sustainable Development

In October 2006 the 2nd Annual Oriental Environmental Institute (OEI)/ECA International Conference on Sustainable Development was held. Working principally with its China partner OEI, ECA has supported and produced this conference that has attracted over 30 Chinese NGO’s and universities, as well as China’s leading authorities in sustainable development.Presentations and discussion at the 2006 conference, held in Beijing, focused on sustainable community development, with emphasis on the importance of mayoral and civic leadership, and citizen participation.

The 1st Annual OEI/ECA International Conference on Sustainable Development was held in October 2005 at Mount Mianshan in the Shanxii Province. At this initial conference, over 20 Chinese organizations, including acclaimed LEAD China and Beijing Global Village, shared information regarding programs and operations to explore possibilities for collaboration with ECA and each other.

2. 2007 Forum for Mayors and Civic Leaders

ECA, OEI, and Harmony collaborated to produce a forum for mayors and civic leaders to discuss best practices and share success stories in sustainable community development. Presentations by citizens who have organized sustainable development initiatives in their own communities, as well as presentations from mayors and civic leaders who have demonstrated exemplary leadership for local sustainable development were demonstrated at the forum.

3. China Community Leadership Training Program

ECA has linked the efforts of several key organizations and joined these partners in the process of collaboratively implementing a model Chinese community leadership training program. The Oriental Environmental Institute (OEI), Environmental Management College of China (EMCC), and Harmony Foundation of Canada (Harmony), and ECA have combined expertise to develop and implement this program.

The Chinese program enables local leaders to access needed training on issues specific to sustainable community development and to work with community members to achieve positive results. As part of the International Community Leadership Training program (ICLT), China’s national program builds local leadership and results through direct training while contributing to national progress and international cooperation on issues such as climate change, biodiversity, water and green cities.

ICLT was created by Harmony and is based on that organization’s highly successful Building Sustainable Societies Program. Harmony’s acclaimed training programs and materials have assisted communities around the world to address issues of environment and local development.