posted by Wen Bo, China Program Co-Director, Pacific Environment

The third and final day of the conference was titled “Pondering Gaps and Needs of Stakeholders in Taihu Basin. How to Build New Clean Water Networks?”

Jun Bi, the local organizer from Nanjing University was the first to speak. In his presentation, he noted that NGOs in China are very weak and that they need to work with researchers and governments more.  He also stated that NGOs often lack funding and the necessary knowledge to be effective. He acknowledged that he also belongs to an NGO called PACE, whose members are mostly Ph.Ds, and have access to governmental officials. He indicated that no matter how hard an environmental NGO tries, there is no single comment that could be made in front of governor of Jiangsu province that would actually influence a government’s decision making.

Jun Bi made the point that most people in the Lake Tai region seem to care more about their own interests than collective interests such as environmental improvements. And, that like it or not, the economy of Lake Tai region would have to first double to keep up with the demand of the people’s wishes to develop their economy; and, that similarly, China, would have to develop first even if to some extent at the price of the environment.

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Posted by Yang Chu

Yang Chu, China Program Associate at Pacific Environment, sat down with Zhao Zhong, a Pacific Environment partner and Time Environmental Hero of the Year.

Zhao Zhong, tell us about how you became an environmental activist in China, and why you chose Gansu Province as your base.

I’ve always been a mountaineering enthusiast. In my travels I saw beautiful sceneries but also serious environmental problems. I felt I should do something, and started by picking up garbage in my hikes. After graduating from University I moved to Gansu for a position with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. There, I saw declining ecosystems and a lack of NGO presence, so I established Green Camel Bell. Now I am a full time environmentalist.

What are your thoughts on being named a 2009 Hero of the Environment by Time Magazine, and what impact do you foresee this honor having on your cause?

So many other environmentalists also deserve this honor, so many have contributed as much or more than me. My own contributions are made possible by the Green Camel Bell team. Perhaps more volunteers will join us now from abroad, and we will receive more attention from researchers and the media. Time Magazine named me a hero for water pollution monitoring, but the work of Green Camel Bell is more than that – I will continue to focus on supporting rural communities and developing NGOs.

What advice do you have for those in China, and the rest of the world, who want to follow in your footsteps and work for environmental protection in their own communities?

Everyone has what it takes to go into environmental protection. Everyone can be a hero of the environment.

What immediate plans do you have for yourself and your organization? Where do you see yourself decades from now, and what will you be doing?

In the immediate future I’ll be completing two projects, from the World Bank and the Ford Foundation, which will have me working in rural communities for much of my time. I’m also improving the operations at Green Camel Bell, to make the organization run more smoothly and sustainably. As for the distant future, it’s hard to see years into the future, everything is changing so fast.

Sosnovka 2008

Posted by the Russia Team

For the first half dozen years of Sosnovka’s existence, we endured annual discussions about whether or not to formalize the coalition’s structure and makeup. Ten years after the coalition’s humble beginnings, this question is moot. The effectiveness of Sosnovka lies not just in the trust and friendship forged between coalition members over the span of ten years, but also in the fiercely informal nature of the group. With Pacific Environment acting as gatekeeper and facilitator, Sosnovka is able to quickly and effectively address all of the major environmental threats facing communities in Siberia and the Russian Far East. From major infrastructure projects like dams and oil pipelines to illegal logging and salmon poaching, Sosnovka has its hands in every major issue.

Pacific Environment staff members who are experienced in the ways of Sosnovka know to store up on sleep before the Russia Team’s mass exodus to Sosnovka; we know that the best conversations and moments of genius are not restricted to the 9am-9pm official meeting times. This year, the meeting took place on the shores of Lake Baikal, majestic and stunning in her fall splendor. By all accounts, Sosnovka 2008 was more effective—and more fun—than any ever before. Here are a few accounts from our staff:

“It’s overwhelming really, the feeling of being in the epicenter of something great, of witnessing a movement coming into its own. After four days of intense work and fun with many of my professional heroes, the connection and loyalty I feel for these people and our joint work is weighty.” – Leah Zimmerman, Russia Program Director

“Everyone at Sosnovka is different, coming from unique cultural and professional backgrounds, and with the widest range of ideas and perspectives one can possibly imagine. No matter how heated the discussions were, how tired everyone felt, and how many thousands of miles separated their homes, they all shared two things—their deep, unconditional love for their vast and beautiful country, Russia, and their unspoken understanding that this love drives them all, together, as children of one family.” – Meerim Kylychbekova, Russia Program Associate

“Scientists, ecologists, activists, and a blend of every other -ist gathering
Once a year, in one location
Stretching 24-hour days, with 10-minute discussion warnings and the red-marker skull & bones to end verbosity,
Never losing the urgency of community dedication to
Overcoming the weight of an overburdened planet, with an occasional late-night pause for
Vodka-sipping, guitar-strumming, and hearts-a-brimming toasts to the
Kaleidoscope of save-the-world resolutions and personal life infusions—
An experience whose heart we tenderly ration for 364 days before the next.”
– Kore  Gleason, Russia Program Associate