Convening in China - Annual Water Pollution Conference
2008 Water Pollution Conference Participants
Posted by Daniela Salaverry
Gansu, China — Zhang Yadong is furiously taking notes. This is his first Water Pollution Network Conference, and his goal for participating is to learn. Zhang recently graduated and has assumed the leadership role of his organization Green Longjiang in Harbin.
“I’m just starting off in this position,” Zhang says, “I want to learn from Zhao Zhong and Zhou Xiang during this conference. I want to get a sense of how to develop my programs so I have some direction when I go back to Harbin.”
Zhang and 20 other grassroots environmental leaders and Pacific Environment partners have gathered in Gansu Province in western China for our fourth annual water pollution network conference. Our local host in Gansu is Green Camel Bell (GCB), Gansu’s first independent environmental NGO. As we all meet in GCB’s office for our first evening of discussion and introductions, people are tired from their travels but excited. The energy is palpable, and people are eager to share ideas, learn from each other and build partnerships.
On the second day, we travel from the city of Lanzhou, to the countryside town of Liujia Xia. On the outskirts of town Ran Li Ping, GCB’s project coordinator points out some of the heavy-industry. I realize that the blue sky had suddenly turned into a thick haze as we drove through this industrial zone. The change was dramatic, and a visible way to remember the big pollution challenge these groups, and China as a whole, are dealing with.
We stop again another hour down the road in a small village where GCB is doing outreach on water quality issues. This village had a water pump and filter built over a decade ago, but high silt levels caused the pumping facility to stop working only days after it began operating, and the door has been locked ever since. Green Camel Bell is working with this town to figure out the best ways they can get clean water, and earlier this year they donated a water filtration system to the town’s clinic.
When we returned we dove into two days of discussions on water pollution campaign strategies, program updates, and ideas for future collaboration and partnership. Water Pollution Network partners presented on their program work: Green Anhui discussed their success in helping to close a local factory; Green Oasis presented on their collaboration with Ma Jun; Green Camel Bell discussed their partnership with a local enterprise that makes water filtration products. Pacific Environment staff facilitated conversations on campaign strategy development and how we want to strengthen our partnerships with the members of this network.
After two days of on-going discussions and information, we’re all simultaneously exhausted and rejuvenated. The forward thinking of these groups, as they sit on the brink of growth and change, is inspiring.
Tags: Capacity-Building, China, community partners, Water Pollution
