On Oct. 11, “Global Environment Facility (GEF)-financed Priority Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development to Implement the China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action” (hereinafter abbreviated as “the CBPF-IS Project”) supported the launch of inception meeting for Jilin Provincial Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) Compilation & Formulation in Changchun. The meeting was chaired by Li Laihua, Deputy Secretary-General of Jilin Provincial Government. Bai Chengshou, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation of MEP,  Zhao Weijun Secretary of Chinese Communist Party Committee of Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, the Ministry of Environmental Protection(FECO, MEP), Wang Guocai, Director-General of Jilin Provincial Department of Environmental Protection and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative attended the meeting and delivered speeches respectively.

The successful convening of the meeting symbolized that the funding project of Jilin PBSAP compilation & formulation is formally launched by the CBPF-IS Project administered by the Economic Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection( FECO,MEP).

On the occasion, Wang Guocai, Director-General of Jilin Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, introduced overall progress of biodiversity conservation in the province and, as entrusted by the provincial government, announced the plan on the next-step deployment of work, with reinforced efforts to be made in Jilin PBSAP compilation & formulation, implementation and promotion. Bai Chengshou, Deputy Director-General，Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation of MEP, in his remark, highlighted the significance of conservation and provided critical analysis of the current situation and primary tasks in biodiversity related areas. He also made outspoken expectations and requirements on the work of Jilin PBSAP to be carried out.

Zhao Weijun, Secretary of Chinese Communist Party Committee of Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO, MEP) reiterated the importance of biodiversity conservation and presented to participants about the practices of FECO utilizing international projects and provided financial / intellectual resources to support local initiatives. Mr. Zhao made specific requirement on Jilin to fulfill the funding agreement.

On behalf of UNDP, Dr. Ma Chaode put forward three suggestions on the work related to Jilin PBSAP compilation & formulation: integrating biodiversity into economic and sectoral planning; advancing Integrated watershed management by involving multi-stakeholders; and bring into full play the role of enterprises that are enabled to become a spearhead in energy saving, emission reduction and biodiversity conservation.

Li Laihua, Jilin Deputy Secretary-General of Provincial Government made three points when wrapping up the inception meeting: firstly, strengthening leadership and improving understanding amongst those member units comprising the Joint Meeting Mechanism for Biodiversity Conservation that more attention should be paid to become more strategic, visionary and practical, in support of integrating biodiversity conservation into sectoral planning; secondly, coordinating the efforts of the units for the Joint Meeting to actively communicate with the other departments on a regular basis; thirdly, effectively carrying out the task of compiling and formulating Jilin PBSAP, according to the requirement of the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation of MEP.

During the meeting, FECO and Jilin Provincial Department of Environmental Protection signed the "Funding Agreement on “GEF-financed CBPF-IS Project Supporting PBSAP Compilation & Formulation”.

As many as around 100 representatives from 21 departments and institutions participated in the inception meeting, including the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation of MEP, Jilin provincial government, UNDP, Jilin Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, Development and Reform Committee, Provincial Department of Finance, members on Joint Meeting for Jilin Biodiversity Conservation and the undertaking units for Jilin PBSAP compilation & formulation.