In order to promote exchanges and cooperation between China and the international community in solid waste management and treatment technology, the Basel Convention Centre for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Environment Programme held the 3rd International Conference on Waste Management and Technology in Tsinghua University on November 5-7, 2008.
A total of 239 delegates from 23 countries and regions attended the conference. Among them, 33 government officials from domestic and international departments, 113 university representatives, 8 representatives from various organizations, 39 research institute members, and 29 industry professionals. The conference provided a platform for horizontal communication between countries and regions, as well as vertical communication between policymakers and practitioners, bridging scholars, officials, and industry experts from around the world. Mr. Ruisheng Yue, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Academician Jiming Hao, Deputy Director of the Basel Convention Centre for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Environment Programme, and Mr. Ibrahim Shafii, Senior officer of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention of the United Nations Environment Programme, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Renowned domestic and international experts, including Director Fei Yu from the Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Professor Yongfeng Nie from Tsinghua University, and Professor M.T. Rock from Bryn Mawr College in the United States, gave keynote presentations on 10 topics, covering solid waste management policies, hot topics in solid waste management, electronic waste transport, the development of China's environmental protection industry, and solid waste treatment technologies both domestically and internationally.
During the three-day international conference and its side sessions, participants shared the results and information of the regional Seminar on e-waste Environmental Management in the Asia-Pacific region, the launch of the Sino-Dutch International Cooperation Project on the Research, Training, and Demonstration Center for Solid Waste Management, and the seminar on urban-level e-waste collection and treatment technology.
The conference provided participants with ample opportunities to showcase their expertise, engage in in-depth discussions, and foster exchange. It highlighted both horizontal communication between countries and regions, as well as vertical dialogue between policymakers and practitioners, offering an excellent platform for professionals from around the world to exchange ideas and explore opportunities for further collaboration.
In order to promote the development of China's solid waste treatment technology and related industries, ICWMT cooperated with the Society of Solid Waste of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences and the China Association of Environmental Protection Industry to set up two parallel forums during the international conference, "the Academic Forum of the Society of Solid Waste of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences" and "Forum on the Development of China’s Solid Waste Treatment and Utilization Industry". At these forums, experts delivered presentations and engaged in discussions on the current status and development trends of solid waste environmental management, technology research, technology development and industrial development in China.
As one of the side sessions of the conference, the "Sino-Dutch Solid Waste Management Center Project Kick-off Meeting" was held on November 6. During the meeting, China and the Netherlands signed a partnership agreement on the "Sino-Dutch Comprehensive Center for Waste Research, Training and Demonstration". As part of the Kick-off meeting, the Conference set up the "Sino-Dutch High-Level Forum on Environmental Waste Management". The Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning of Netherland, Jacqueline Cramer, led the Dutch delegation to the high-level forum and delivered a speech titled "Waste Management: International Challenges in a Sustainable Future".
Through the welcome dinner and industrial visits, new friendships and connections were formed among the delegates, laying solid foundation for future exchanges and cooperation. Several domestic media outlets, including Guomen Times and China Environment News, reported on the conference.
After the conference, Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the organizer of the conference, compiled and issued the electronic version of the conference proceedings, with excellent papers being recommended for publication in the journal of Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering in China. The conference featured 10 topics and received a total of 78 papers. If you would like to obtain a copy of the conference proceedings, please feel free to contact us.
