國合會：連接中國與世界

文/郝小然

中國環境與發展國際合作委員會（簡稱“國合會”）成立于1992年，是經中國政府批準的國際性高層政策咨詢機構。國合會成立以來，見證并參與了中國發展理念和發展方式的歷史性變遷，在中國可持續發展進程中發揮了獨特而重要的作用，成為連接中國與國際社會在環境與發展領域交流與互鑒的重要平臺。

運行機制：參與廣泛和高效有力

國合會的成立具有獨特的時代背景，涉及政治、國際等多方面因素。首先是改革開放的必然要求。20世紀90年代初我國的改革開放進入了一個關鍵時期，更全面、更深入的對外開放既是中國政府需要堅持的方針，也是國際社會的期待。其次是中國多邊合作意愿強烈。1992年聯合國在里約熱內盧召開環境與發展會議前夕，環境與發展問題已經成為世界各國關注的焦點，中國環境狀況關系到世界環境的健康和人類的福祉。以1987年發布的《我們共同的未來》特別是1992年里約環發大會為標志，世界開始步入追求可持續發展的時代。里約環發大會呼吁為實現可持續發展建立全球伙伴關系，呼吁發達國家幫助發展中國家解決環境與發展的問題與矛盾。中國在這一歷史時期迫切需要全面深入地向國際社會學習，這是成立國合會的實際需求。在此情況下，中國政府于1992年正式批準成立國合會，作為中國環境與發展領域的國際性高級政策咨詢機構，為中國的高層決策者提供有關解決環境與發展領域重大問題的政策建議。

自成立以來，國合會創建了中國與世界在環境與發展領域的獨特品牌，不僅將可持續發展理念帶入中國，促進中國與國際社會在環境與發展領域的交流與互鑒，而且提出百余項具有前瞻性、戰略性、預警性的政策建議，對中國的環境與發展進程產生深刻影響。

國合會的成功發展主要得益于其獨特機制，迄今為止在世界范圍內也鮮有相同范例，主要體現在以下幾個方面。

國合會年會會場

一是組織層次高，參與廣泛。國合會從建立開始，一直得到中國政府的高度重視和大力支持，國合會主席一直由中國國務院主管環保工作的領導人擔任。每屆國合會由約50名中外方委員組成，一屆任期5年，今年是第六屆國合會的最后一年，第七屆國合會將于2022年啟動。國合會委員主要由政要、知名學者、商界領袖、國際組織和環保非政府組織代表組成。國合會每年舉辦環境領域的最高級別會議國合會年會，邀請中外委員參加，向中國政府提出政策建議。此外，每年還有200多名中外專家學者參與國合會的研究工作。事實表明，沒有哪個國家有類似的擁有眾多國際性高級別人士廣泛持久參與的機制。高層次、多元化的委員，優秀的研究團隊和眾多優質的參與方，使得國合會具備了提供高質量、多樣性和包容性政策咨詢的基本條件。

二是主題鮮明，成果直達高層。國合會根據國內環境與發展政策迫切需求，選取并設立交叉研究課題，邀請中外專家共同開展政策研究活動。經過國際與國內兩個不同視角的交流碰撞形成共同成果，再通過年會上中外委員多次討論和修改后上報中國政府高層。國家領導人每年出席國合會年會或其他重大活動，當面聽取政策建議；國合會以書面形式提交給國務院和有關政府部門供決策參考。“直通車”機制確保國合會政策建議直達國家領導人，這種政策咨詢機制吸引了眾多中外頂尖專家的參與。政策建議還會通過國合會網站、圓桌會議、出版物等形式向中央、地方政府和社會相關者發布。

三是內部機制高效有力，不斷創新提升。國合會的內部管理層次清晰、分工明確：設立主席團對重大事項和工作規則進行決策；設在生態環境部的國合會秘書處和秘書處國際支持辦公室是國合會的具體辦事機構；中外首席顧問及其專家支持組負責擬定國合會的主題和研究方向，指導課題組研究工作，起草每年的關注問題報告和給中國政府的政策建議。此外，國合會在中外委員組成、研究主題的識別、研究工作的組織形式和運行機制等多方面進行了多次改革和階段性調整，以提高政策咨詢的質量。

百余份研究報告，近千余條政策建議

向中國政府提供政策咨詢并產生實質性影響是國合會的宗旨和價值所在。國合會始終深度參與中國環境與發展綜合決策支持進程，堅持從戰略高度倡導環境與經濟、社會的和諧以及可持續發展，通過戰略性、前瞻性、預警性的研究提出了大量具有重大價值的政策建議，對中國的政策發展作出了積極、有益、意義深遠的貢獻。國務院總理李克強在2013年會見國合會委員時指出：“國合會針對中國環境與發展面臨的重大問題提出的政策建議有不少為中國政府所采納，在實踐中取得積極成效。”

自創建以來，國合會建立了近百個課題組、專題組或工作組，組織了上千名專家學者對中國環境與發展領域的主要問題展開較全面和深入的研究工作，形成了百余份政策研究報告，向中國政府提交了近千余條政策建議，并向相關部門提供更多更加具體的建議。國合會的政策建議通過多種渠道對中國環境政策實踐產生重要影響。有些政策建議或者被直接采納，或者引發國內對某項政策議題討論，以間接的方式加速或改變了政策進程；有些政策建議在當年就引起決策者的注意，而有些建議則在幾年后逐步變成政策現實。國合會確定新的政策研究項目主要有兩個依據：一是國際環境與發展的進程和相對于中國在知識和經驗方面的比較優勢；二是中國環境與發展的形勢及其迫切需求。

國合會政策研究相關報告

第一屆國合會（1992—1996年）和第二屆國合會（1997—2001年）主要以學習和借鑒國際理論和研究經驗為主。第一屆國合會正值里約峰會將世界帶入追求可持續發展的新紀元，國際環境與發展合作也進入新階段。中國政府積極提出《環境與發展十大對策》，率先發布了《中國21世紀議程》，首次將可持續發展概念和戰略納入國家經濟社會發展的長遠規劃。因此，第一屆國合會的政策研究主要圍繞一些重點領域開展基礎性研究展開，以引進基本理論和借鑒實踐經驗為主，涉及生物多樣性保護、能源戰略與技術、科學技術、資源核算與定價、環境監測、污染控制、環境與貿易、經濟計劃和環境保護等方面。第二屆國合會期間全球環境合作取得階段成果，聯合國千年發展目標發布。國內首次提出轉變經濟增長方式的要求，并努力于2001年加入世界貿易組織。在這一形勢下，國合會的研究項目在第一屆的基礎上增加了超前性、預警性研究，涉及清潔生產、環境與交通、經濟計劃與環境保護、西部開發中的林草問題、可持續農業等方面。

第三屆國合會（2002—2006年）和第四屆國合會（2007—2011年）處于轉型升級時期。第三屆國合會基于國際環發觀念的轉變和中國的戰略轉型，成為國合會重要改革時期。主要體現在兩個方面：更新了大批委員，增加了一名國際副主席，國際支持顯著增加；實行首席顧問制度，為國合會研究和其他實際工作提供指導和建議。研究隊伍經過改革更具系統性，第三屆國合會主要集中在可持續農業、可持續工業、可持續城市化、環境管理四個領域。第四屆國合會較前三屆取得了長足發展，最關鍵的因素是準確判斷出中國環境與發展進程開始發生戰略轉型的形勢，更加注重從整體上和宏觀層面把握中國的需求，增強了研究主題的針對性、前瞻性和戰略性，增加了政策研究成果的集成度和系統性。準確地把握了中國和環境與發展戰略轉型的新形勢，針對關鍵性的重大問題，先后確立了創新與環境友好型社會，機制創新與和諧發展，能源、環境與發展，生態系統管理與綠色發展，經濟發展方式的綠色轉型等五大主題。在此階段，一些國合會前瞻性政策建議最終被中國政府采納并產生重要影響：如早在2008年國合會就開展了基于市場的碳價研究，并對碳交易的設計、范圍、監測和實施提出建議，就建議在7個省份開展排放交易系統試點項目。2013年，中國在7個省市開展了碳排放權交易試點。

第五屆國合會（2012—2016年）和第六屆國合會（2017—2021年）處于穩步發展階段。第五屆國合會的時間段恰好與“十二五”時期中國大力推進生態文明建設相吻合，也與全球重新審視環境與發展、推動實施2030年可持續發展議程的時機相契合，將綠色發展和綠色轉型作為核心關注貫穿始終，對國家治理體系改革、治理能力提升予以充分關注，設置了區域平衡與綠色發展、面向綠色發展的環境與社會、綠色發展的管理制度創新、綠色轉型的國家治理能力、生態文明——中國與世界五大主題。正在進行的第六屆國合會期間在環境政策與實施方面發生了一系列重要轉變，這也是國合會成立以來最具挑戰性的時期。受新冠肺炎疫情影響，世界經濟面臨艱難復蘇的局面，為國合會的運行和轉變帶來多重挑戰。第六屆國合會更加密切地關注國家、地方和國際層面的環境與發展治理創新，與中國“十三五”規劃中實現國家治理能力現代化的目標聯系起來，同世界環境與發展進程的互動顯著增強，緊緊圍繞氣候變化巴黎協定、聯合國2030可持續發展目標、生物多樣性框架公約等全球目標開展工作。研究領域包括碳中和、氣候變化承諾、“一帶一路”倡議綠色發展、自然保護、國內治理體系在政策與實施方面的變化等。此階段國合會也提出諸多具有影響力的政策建議并被中國政府采納：如2021年，中國全國碳交易市場正式啟動，生態環境部新聞發布會中引用了國合會外方首席顧問的觀點。又如，2018年，國合會建議中國同其他國家合作應對塑料污染。同年，中國、加拿大和法國簽訂了鼓勵相關行動的聯合聲明。2018年，國合會建議制定《長江保護法》，2020年12月中國通過了《長江保護法》，并于2021年3月1日起正式實施。類似的成功案例還有很多。

價值與前景：為建設清潔美麗的世界貢獻智慧和力量

全球性挑戰需要全球性解決方案。從國合會的組成結構和運行機制、主要政策活動以及對中國的政策影響可以看出其存在的獨特價值。國合會已經推動形成了一個關于中國環境與發展以及如何應對多重挑戰的獨特知識體系，并且已經對中國國內甚至國外環發進程產生重要的正面影響，且這種影響也必將延續下去。

對于國合會的價值，中外高層人士給予了高度評價。

國合會主席、國務院副總理韓正在出席2018年年會時講道：“中國政府將一如既往地支持國合會發展和壯大，支持國合會發展成為全球包容、開放合作、互惠發展的新型環境與發展國際合作平臺，在推進中國生態文明建設和全球可持續發展方面發揮更大的作用。”

對于國合會研究成果和政策建議的評價，國合會外方副主席、聯合國開發計劃署署長阿齊姆·施泰納在2007年年會上評價道：“我相信，當今中國對于推動世界可持續發展背景下的環境問題走在前列——環境更是發展的驅動力。”

國合會成立以來，得到不同國家和國際機構的關注與支持。加拿大、挪威、瑞典等對國合會及其政策研究工作提供了資助，是國合會的重要捐助方；國際組織和跨國公司也為國合會提供了資金支持，支持國合會各項活動的推進。同時，中國政府有關部門對國合會工作的支持也是不可或缺的。

幾十年的發展歷程表明，國合會的獨特價值在于其發揮了以下四個方面的作用。一是連接中國與國際社會、政府與社會的橋梁，共同推進中國乃至世界的可持續發展；二是向中國各級政策制定者傳播先進國際經驗的智庫；三是供中國和國際專家坦率交換意見的一個國際高級咨詢機構；四是中國向國際社會介紹其成功經驗和解決方法的媒介和雙向交流的平臺。

2022年是國合會成立三十周年，同時也是啟動第七屆國合會的關鍵節點。在當前國內外形勢下，第七屆國合會將繼續秉持服務中國生態文明建設和全球可持續發展、推動實現美麗中國和綠色繁榮世界的目標，建設成為中國和世界環境與發展領域雙向交流平臺、促進生態文明建設協作平臺、推動完善全球環境治理體系創新平臺。通過與各方合作積極應對當前“三大環境危機”（氣候變化、生物多樣性和生態、污染）、疫后復蘇以及與聯合國2030年可持續發展議程相關的其他重大問題，促進國際合作，實現互利共贏，為推動構建人類命運共同體作出積極貢獻。

The China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) was founded in 1992 as a high—level international advisory body with the approval of the Government of China. Since its inception, the CCICED has witnessed and participated in many historical changes in China’s developmental philosophy. It has played a unique and essential role in China’s sustainable development process. It has become a necessary platform for communication and mutual learning between China and the international community in environment and development.

Highly efficient and effective operation mechanism with extensive broad participation

The establishment of the CCICED has a unique historical background, involving political and international factors. The first is the inevitable need for considering environmental factors in the context of China’s reform and opening—up policy. In the early 1990s, China’s reform and opening entered a critical period. Therefore, a more comprehensive and in—depth introduction to the outside world became a policy that the Chinese government needs to adhere to and the international community’s expectations. The second is China’s strong willingness for multilateral cooperation.

On the eve of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, environmental and development issues became the focus of world attention. China’s environmental conditions are related to the health of the world’s environment and the well—being of human beings. The 1987 report Our Common Future and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit marked a new era of sustainable development for the world. The Summit called for a global partnership on sustainable development and North—South assistance on environmental and development issues. In this historical period, China urgently needed to learn from the international community, which is the actual demand for establishing the CCICED. Under such circumstances, the Chinese government formally approved the establishment of the CCICED in 1992 as an international high—level policy advisory body in the field of environmental and development in China, providing policy advice to China’s senior policymakers on solving major issues in the field of environment and development.

Since its establishment, the CCICED has created a unique brand in environmental development between China and the world. It has promoted exchanges in mutual learning between China and the international community. In addition, It has produced more than a hundred forward—looking, strategic, and early warning policy recommendations, which profoundly impacted China’s environment and development process.

The successful development of the CCICED is mainly due to its unique mechanism, and there are few similar examples in the world so far, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

First, High—level and diverse committee. Since its establishment, the CCICED has been highly valued and strongly supported by the Chinese government. The Council Chairperson is the Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China with responsibility for environmental protection. CCICED is comprised of around 50 members, each with a team of five years. This year is the last year of the CCICED Phase 6, and the CCICED Phase 7 will be launched in 2022. CCICED members are mainly composed of key political leaders, business leaders, representatives from international organizations, and Non—Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In addition, the CCICED holds the highest—level Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the environmental field. The meeting invites national and international members to participate in making policy recommendations to the Chinese government. In addition, more than 200 national and international experts are engaged in CCICED activities every year. Facts have shown that no other country has similar high—level and diverse committees with extensive and sustained participation of many high—level international members, excellent research teams, and many high—quality participants.

Second, Expressway to senior policymakers. According to critical national environmental and development policies topics, CCICED selects and sets up cross—research issues and invites national and international experts to carry out policy research activities jointly. Their studies consider both domestic Chinese needs and international experience. The studies and recommendations can be submitted to the State Council of the People’s Republic of China at AGM or through other ways. The unique “Expressway” for the CCICED findings and policy recommendations to reach the national leaders has attracted many top experts from national and international groups. Policy recommendations are also disseminated to local governments and relevant stakeholders through the CCICED website, roundtable meetings, and publications.

Third, Promoting innovation with efficient mechanism. The secretariat is based under the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the secretariat international support office are the CCICED administrative bodies. The Chinese and International Chief Advisors and their expert support teams are responsible for formulating the theme and research direction of the CCICED, guiding the research work, drafting the annual issues paper and policy recommendations for the Chinese government. In addition, the CCICED has carried out many reforms and adjustments in many aspects, such as identifying research topics, the composition of national and international members, the organizational form and operation mechanism of research work, to improve the quality of policy recommendations.

More than a hundred research reports, nearly a thousand policy recommendations

Provision of policy recommendations to the Chinese government that can have a substantive impact on policy formulation and outcomes is the ultimate objective and value of the CCICED. The CCICED has always been deeply involved in China’s environment and development’s comprehensive decision—making and support process. It consistently advocates for the sustainable development of the environment, economy, and society strategically. Many valuable policy recommendations are put forward through strategic prospective and early warning research, making positive, beneficial, and far—reaching contributions to China’s development policy.

Premier Li Keqiang mentioned in a meeting with CCICED members in 2013 that: Many of CCICED policy recommendations on China’s significant issues of environment and development have been adopted by the Chinese government and yielded practical positive results.

Since its inception, the CCICED has established nearly 100 research groups, organized thousands of experts and scholars to conduct comprehensive and in—depth research on significant issues in the field of environmental development. As a result, they have produced more than 100 policy research reports in China and submitted nearly 1,000 policy recommendations to the Chinese government. In addition, more detailed proposals are circulated to the relevant departments. Identification of new policy study topics is based on two considerations: international environment and development agendas and their relative value in terms of knowledge and experiences; the other is the situation of environment and development in China and urgency of need.

CCICED Phase 1 (1992—1996) and CCICED Phase 2 (1997—2001) mainly focused on learning and drawing on international concepts and experiences. CCICED Phase 1 started just at the time of the new global era was ushered in by the Rio Earth Summit, with its latest proposals for international cooperation on environment and development. In addition, China issued its

Ten Strategic Policies for China’s Environment and Development and produced China Agenda 21

. Therefore, the CCICED Phase 1 topic was mainly related to fundamental studies in critical areas with an emphasis on the introduction of essential theory and practical experiences, including biodiversity conservation, energy strategies and technologies, science and technology, resource accounting and pricing, environmental monitoring, pollution control, environment and trade, economic planning and environmental conservation. During the CCICED Phase 2, significant progress was made in global environmental cooperation and UN Millennium Development Goals was adopted. In addition, China adopted a new economic growth model and joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Under this situation of rising growth, but also taking into account both challenges and new economic opportunities, CCICED expanded its Phase 2 to include not only those topics covered in Phase 1, but also others: foresight and early warning topics related directly to the economy and environmental protection, western forests and grasslands, and sustainable agriculture.

CCICED Phase 3 (2002—2006) and CCICED Phase 4 (2007—2011) were in a period of transformation and upgrading. Based on the change of the international perception of environment and development and transformative change within China, Phase 3 had become a critical reform period for the CCICED. Thus, its members had a broader range of expertise and backgrounds. Furthermore, the CCICED implemented the Chief Advisors mechanism to provide guidance and advice on studies and other substantive aspects. These changes allowed the research team to established more systematically with carefully drawn themes and focus of work. Phase 3 mainly focused on sustainable agriculture, sustainable industrialization, sustainable urbanization, and environmental governance.

CCICED Phase 4 had made even more significant progress. The most critical factor included accurate judgments about China entering a strategic, transformative change period in its environment and development relationship, more emphasis on overall and macro—level needs of China, enhanced focus on the work, better foresight and strategy analysis of topics, increased integration among the research products, and recognized the new situation of environment and development in China. Furthermore, over the five years of Phase 4, they addressed the following themes:

Innovation and environmentally friendly society, institutional innovation and harmonious development, energy environment and development, ecosystem management and green growth, and green transformation of economic development. At this stage, some recommendations of the CCICED were adopted by the Chinese government. For example, as early as 2008, the CCICED carried out a market—based carbon price study and suggested monitoring and implementing the design scope of carbon trading. In addition, it offered to carry out pilot projects of emissions trading systems in seven provinces and cities. Then in 2013, China carried out pilot projects of carbon emission trading in seven provinces and cities.

CCICED Phase 5 (2012—2016) and Phase 6 (2017—2021) are in the stage of steady development. Phase 5 coincided with China’s efforts to promote ecological civilization during the 12Five—Year Plan (2011—2015), fitted the global re—examination of the environment and development process, and promoted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the Agenda). Green development and green transition remained a core concern. Therefore, the CCICED paid more attention to the interaction among environment, economy, society and national governance system reform and capacity building. In Phase 5, five themes were explored, including regional balance and green development, environmental protection and green development, management and institutional innovation in green growth, enabling governance capacity for green transformation, and China’s ecological civilization and the world. Significant changes have occurred in environmental policy and implementation during the ongoing CCICED Phase 6, the most challenging period. Affected by the COVID—19 pandemic, the global economy is struggling to recover, bringing multiple challenges to the operation and transformation of the CCICED. The current phase 6 focuses more closely on environmental and development governance innovation at the national, local, and international levels. It related to China’s 13Five—Year Plan to realize national governance capabilities and significantly enhances its interaction with the world environment and development process. CCICED’s work is closely about the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Agenda, and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Research areas include carbon neutrality, climate change commitments, green development of Belt and Road Initiatives, nature protection, and changes in domestic governance systems in terms of policy and implementation. At this stage, the CCICED also puts forward many influential policy recommendations adopted by the Chinese government. On this, CCICED recommended that China mobilize international partnerships for action on plastic pollution. The same year Canada and China issued a joint statement on marine litter from plastic pollution. In 2018, the CCICED recommended the formulation of the “Yangtze River Protection Law”. In December 2020, China passed the “Yangtze River Protection Law”, formally implemented on March 1, 2021. There are many similar success stories.

Value and prospect: Contribute wisdom and strength to building a clean and beautiful world

Global challenges require global solutions. The unique value of the CCICED can be seen from its constituent institutions, operational mechanisms, major policy activities, and its policy impact on China. The CCICED has contributed to the formation of a unique knowledge system about China’s environment and development and how to deal with multiple challenges, and has had a significant and positive impact on the process of environmental action at home and abroad.

Various high—level figures have given their appraisal on the value of CCICED:Vice—premier and current CCICED Chair Han Zheng mentioned in 2018 AGM that: “

The Chinese government will, as always, support the development and growth of the CCICED and its development into a new international cooperation platform for environment and development featuring inclusive, open, cooperative and mutually beneficial development in the world, so as to play a greater role in promoting China’s ecological civilization and global sustainable development

.”Concerning CCICED findings and policy assessment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator and CCICED Vice—Chairperson Achim Steiner said at the 2007 AGM: “

I believe that China is now in the forefront of helping the world to interpret the environment in the context of development

——

more as a driver for development

.”

Since the establishment of the CCICED, it has received attention and support from different countries and international organizations. Canada, Norway, Sweden, and other countries have provided funding to the CCICED and its policy research work and are essential donors of the CCICED; international organizations and multinational companies have also provided financial support and supported various CCICED activities. The support of the relevant departments of the Chinese government to the work of the CCICED is also indispensable.

Decades of experience show that the unique value of CCICED is reflected through four critical roles of the CCICED:

Acting as a bridge between China and international communities, the government and society, and between intergovernmental agencies and environmental care. A think tank to disseminate new ideas and advanced international experience on sustainable development to policymakers at various levels in China. A high—level international advisory body in which Chinese and international experts exchange views frankly. Facilitator to China in introducing its achievements, expertise and solutions to international communities.

2022 marks the 30anniversary of the establishment of the CCICED, and it is also a crucial moment for the launch of the CCICED Phase 7. Under the current national and international situation, the CCICED will continue to uphold the goal of serving China’s ecological civilization and global sustainable development, promoting the realization of a beautiful China and a green and prosperous world. It hopes to build China and the world into a two—way exchange platform in environment and development, promote cooperation in ecological civilization, and improve the innovation platform of the global environmental governance system. Furthermore, by cooperating with all parties, CCICED will actively respond to three major environmental crises: climate change, biodiversity, and environmental pollution; focus on significant issues related to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, promote international cooperation, and make positive contributions to building a community with a shared future for humankind.