From January 14 to 15, 2011, the 7th Programme Steering Committee Meeting of EU-China Biodiversity Programme was held in Lijiang, Yunnan Province. 25 participants attended the meeting, representing Delegation of the European Union (EU), Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Foreign Economic Cooperation Office under Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP/FECO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), Royal Norwegian Embassy in China, and EU-China Biodiversity Programme (ECBP).

The Meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Johan Cauwenbergh, Minister Counsellor of EU Delegation, and Mr. Zhang Kening, Commercial Counsellor of Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of MOFCOM. Mr. Yue Ruisheng, Deputy Director-General of MEP/FECO and Deputy National Programme Director of ECBP, and Mr. Napoleon Navarro, Deputy Country Director of UNDP attended the meeting and delivered opening speeches.

Ms. Qin Liyi, National Programme Manager of ECBP reported to the Programme Steering Committee ECBP’s major progress and breakthroughs in 2010 and its key priorities for 2011. Mr. Carsten Germer, UNDP Country Office Support Unit Director, and Mr. John MacKinnon, Team Leader of ECBP Visibility and Awareness Component gave detailed presentations on ECBP field projects progress, as well as visibility and awareness raising attainments in 2010 respectively.

All the participants believed that ECBP had made good use of 2010 International Year of Biodiversity as a golden opportunity, and achieved positive progress and prominent breakthroughs in the fields of capacity building for China’s CBD implementation, mainstreaming biodiversity, integration of biodiversity into SEA and EIA, field projects, as well as visibility and awareness-raising. The Programme Steering Committee was very satisfied with ECBP’s achievements in 2010.

The Programme Steering Committee required that ECBP follow the approved 2011 Work Plan and complete all the designed activities effectively in 2011. ECBP was also asked to summarize and consolidate its experience gained, lessons learnt, and best practice and models that can be disseminated and replicated, so as to provide reference and technical backup to the development of ecological civilization and the implementation of the 12th Five-Year Plan. The Programme Steering Committee recommended that the Programme start preparation of programme closure as soon as possible, and extend ECBP outreach and greatly raise ECBP visibility in 2011.

After the meeting, the Programme Steering Committee went to TNC field project site – Laojunshan Nature Reserve to inspect the working results and interviewed the community representatives.(thanslated by Peng Ning)