Chinese Youth Promote Regional Solutions for Climate Change

In July 2010, more than 5,000 youth from 80 universities across China set out on the Green Long March, across 8 routes, to promote regional solutions for climate change. In addition to raising awareness, 55 student teams are implementing Green Seed Award projects to identify and expand successful practices.

The Yangtze River Route, sponsored by Li&Fung (1906) Foundation Ltd., began with an opening ceremony on July 9^th in Shanghai. The event focused on the theme, “A Low-Carbon Expo,” and was co-hosted by the Shanghai Bureau of Waste Management, Beijing Forestry University, and Shanghai Finance University. Along this route, running from Shanghai to Yichang, youth will conduct field surveys on social trends related to low-carbon lifestyles and document forest restoration projects.

The International Community Foundation (ICF) and Dr. Zhang Songhe, a Chinese entrepreneur, provided significant support for the Northeast Forests and Snow-Capped Plateau Routes. Together with his family, Dr. Zhang joined the Snow-capped Plateau Route with other volunteers to show his passion and dedication for environmental protection in China.

The Northeast Forest Route officially launched on July 15^th at Harbin Normal University, where university youth met with children of migrant workers. The students will travel from Harbin to Dalian, spreading environmental awareness and the need to care for the children of migrant workers. The group will also investigate trends in ecological agriculture and survey efforts of the pillar industries in Northeast China to implement low-carbon, energy-saving methods

On July 10, youth on the Inner Mongolian Grasslands Route launched their activities with a visit to Suzlon Energy (Tianjin) Limited, a Gold Level Sponsor of the Green Long March.  Youth visited the company's assembly line of wind-powered generators. This route will focus on the utilization of new energy sources as well as ecosystem management of forests, prairies, and deserts in Usuto National Forest Park, the Damao Prairie, and Kubuqi Desert.

Other routes include the Grand Canal, sponsored by Gold Level Sponsor Goldman Sachs, and the Gold Coast Route, sponsored by Gold Level Sponsor Swire Pacific Limited. Along these routes, student volunteers of the Green Long March carry out promotion and educational activities on environmental issues such as water quality, wetlands, forest protection, and grassland preservation, with a goal to expand good practices in preventing and lessening the impacts of climate change.

Fifty-five student environmental teams are also implementing Green Seed Award projects, selected through a national competition. Several of these projects include:

• Green-Call Association of Yunnan University – The Promotion of Water-saving Measures: ‘Barrel First
• Green Society from Suzhou University - The Investigation on the Resources of the Grand Canal and the Nearby Residence Communities at Suzhou
• Sci-Tech Association from Chongqing University-Water: Between You and Me, City and Country—Water Saving Promotion
•  Beijing Forestry University – The Investigation of Small-scale an Urban Green Space Irrigation System
• Liaocheng University - Investigation of Forest Ecosystems of the Grand Canal at Liaocheng
• Zhejiang College of Construction - Startup-planning project "Vegetarian Restaurant Startup"
• Tibet University – Recycling and Management of Old Clothes

Launched by Future Generations China and Beijing Forestry University in 2007, the Green Long March is China’s largest youth-led environmental movement. While it involves activities on eight routes across China, the Green Long March is a youth movement linked with community, government, and business partners and committed to the long-term goal of a sustainable China. It is especially distinctive in its approach of involving youth to identify and expand China’s environmental successes. In three years, the March has:

• Organized a nationwide university network; from 2000 students in 2007 to 5,000 students in 2008 participating in GLM activities along seven routes
• Expanded activities to 80 participating universities
• Brought forward evidence of China’s environmental successes, beginning with 500 surveys in 2007 and 2008, 40 in-depth case studies in 2009
• Gained the confidence and respect of the Chinese government through approval by the Communist Youth League and the State Forestry Administration
• Executed nationwide special events including Earth Day, World Environment Day and events in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games
• Raised environmental awareness across China by inspiring broad youth participation and by close collaboration with regional, national and international media
• Received the 2009 Mother River Award, China’s highest conservation honor
• Strengthened relations among university youth and the business sector as well as with local government projects, environmental groups, and communities

Future Generations China, a Beijing-based organization registered in Hong Kong, is led by Country Director, Dr. Guangchun Lei. With a PhD in Population Biology from University of Helsinki in Finland and a MS in Forest Protection from Central South Forestry University, Dr. Lei knows China’s environmental challenges, and as Dean of the College of Nature Conservation at Beijing Forestry University, he understands China’s university system. In addition, he brings to the organization significant international experience, having worked in Geneva as the Senior Advisor for Asia-Pacific for the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. He continues to serve as Vice Chairman of the National Wetland Science Committee and as a task force member of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.