Entrusted by the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation and the Department of Education and Communication of the Ministry of Environment Protection (MEP), Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO),MEP hosted a training workshop for media and environmental NGOs in Beijing during 25-26 June, 2012. Representatives from both departments of the MEP respectively delivered speeches on the workshop. It was sponsored by the GEF financed Priority Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development to Implement the China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action (IS Project) and was attended by over 20 participants from mainstream media circle and civil society organizations in China, including CCTV, China Radio International, Economic Daily, China.com, Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao, China Environment News, China Environment Federation and China Environmental Journalist Association.

As pointed out by the MEP representatives, biodiversity has become a new protruding global issue following the climate change. Both NPC and CPPCC Conferences on environmental protection and the just-concluded meeting of the National Committee on China Biodiversity Conservation had specific requirement on biodiversity work in China, which is in great demand for the media and environmental NGOs to be continuously involved in the promotion of biodiversity conservation and contribute to building a platform of dialogue between the government and the general public.

The representative of Department of Education and Communication, MEP thanked the media representatives for having been effectively disseminating messages on biodiversity conservation in China and wished for even closer cooperation between the MEP and the media in the future.

On the occasion, government officials from the MEP introduced trends and dynamics of latest National policies and agenda on biodiversity conservation and the United Nations Decade for Biodiversity China Action as well as recent development in Chinese implementing Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Specialists interacted with participating representatives and introduced fundamental knowledge on biodiversity conservation. The workshop was wrapped up with a brainstorming discussion on how to establish partnership and participatory mechanism that involves the public, followed by a visit to a biodiversity protected area in Beijing suburbs, which made the whole event a success. 

The training workshop was the third of its kind, following Year2010 and 2011 targeting media and civil society organizations specialized in environmental protection. It was applauded by all participants who are in favor of continuation of such event in the future.