01
Our Project Background
On September 25, 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit was held in New York headquarters. At the summit, the 193 member states of the United Nations formally approved the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are to solve the development problems of social, economic and environmental dimensions in an integrated way from 2015 to 2030, and turn to the sustainable development path.
Young people are the most dynamic, responsible and active group in the global society. They need opportunities to show themselves and promote the SDGs through thinking and actions to build a better world.
Since 2010, China Railway Guizhou Tourism Culture Development Co., LTD（CRGTCDC）has been practicing the philosophy that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. With more than 4 billion yuan invested in restoration, the earlier fragile ecological environment has been improved into a fascinating wonderland: A new ecological city that enjoys a beautiful environment, green ecology, complete functions, clustered industries, and sustainable development is thereby built on the desertified land. In this way, CRGTCDC has explored a new path for the traditional China state construction corporations to participate in the ecological restoration and contribute to the new-type urbanization with the practice of a new development concept.
Since the launch of China Railway International Eco-City Project (Heilongtan) in 2016, CRGTCDC has been upholding the conviction of putting ecology in priority and insisting green development and has invested 6 billion yuan to put ecological protection in the first place of construction and development. As a result, the permanganate index of the Heilongtan reservoir in 2019 decreased by 10.3% over the previous year, and the phosphorus, nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand decreased by more than 30%. The water quality has seen a significant improvement and the ecological value was further highlighted. Apart from that, 2.38 billion yuan was invested in the project to build 105 high-quality resettlement houses, settling more than 10,000 residents that once lived in Heilongtan reservoir area. Cultural square, community service center, kindergartens, hospitals, banks, supermarkets, and other services were also operated to facilitate their daily life. CRGTCDC has also implemented industrial upgrading projects, providing a direct entrepreneurial platform for more than 200 people, where over 600 people found their local jobs. In Heilongtan town where the project is located, all the poverty-stricken households have been lifted out of poverty. The local people have gradually led a resort life with boosted quality rather than a rural life as they used to live.
Those projects show us the concept of integration of human and ecological environment. We hope to focus the attention of global youth on southwest China, around the 17 SDGs as the overall planning direction, attract more young people to provide suggestions for the local ecological governance and social development, and put the concept of sustainable development into practice both at home and in other places around the world. In this context, the Global Youth Ecological Governance and Social Development Summit launched.
02
Introduction
The theme of this summit is adaptive ecological governance and social development. Experts and scholars in this field, officials from international organizations, youth leaders of NGOs, and outstanding young representatives from all around the world will be invited to share their ideas on sustainable development in the summit. They will also put forward a development plan on establishing the Global Youth Sustainable Development Action Camp.
03
Expectations and Goals
We expect to gather through this summit the wisdom of the youth and create opportunities for global youths that take interest in ecological environment, geological reformation, social governance, etc. to be both theoretically and practically competent. With the aim of promoting the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), we hope to set up a collaborative network for youth NGOs and international organizations worldwide in relevant fields to seek for new ideas and approaches to the local issues.
04
Theme
Adaptive Ecological Governance and Social Development05
Topics of the Summit
(For reference only. More creative topics are welcomed.)
Mining Governance and Geological Restoration,
Mining Governance and Agricultural Development,
Mining Governance and Architectural Design,
Water Environment Governance,
Ecological Governance and Ethnic Cultural Protection
Rural Development and Revitalization
Villager Training and Development…
06
Spokesmen
Han Qunli Executive Director of the International Comprehensive Disaster Risk Plan,former Secretary-General of Man and Biosphere Programme, UNESCO
Jin Jun Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of the Department of Sociology, Tsinghua University
Shen Qiwen Chairman of China Railway Cultural Tourism Investment Group Co., Ltd
Qu Wei Executive Director of Institute of Global Development, Tsinghua University Global Common Development Research Center, Director of Continuing Education Center, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University
Dong Jing PhD, Tsinghua University, China Railway International Eco-City SDG Atlas
Shi Ruiqi PhD, Tsinghua University, grassroots governance and community activation
Yichen Tao MSc Candidate in Gender Studies, LSE, founder of Patronus Group
Zhang Haiyun Graduate at Department of Law at National Taiwan University, Journal editor of China Guiding Cases Project at Stanford Law School, and director of the Network Department of the Oxford Chinese Public Affairs and International Relations Association
Olusegun Michael Ogundele Member of the Nigerian Environmental Society and many other international academic and research networks. He is the founder and currently the National Coordinator of Nigerian Youth Biodiversity Network and the Nigerian Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
Astrid Huelin Founder of the “Catch Rain Africa’ Regeneration Movement in South Africa
Bai Yunan China Youth Climate Change Action Network CYCAN
Cui Rui Social responsibility practitioners (SRP)
Zhang Wenjun Director of YSI Greater China Alumni Association, Acting Program Manager
Hong Manting Gleentown Education
Sharon Fu Master Student at School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, President of Tsinghua Student GoGlobal Association
Guo Xinlei French National Institute for Agricultural Research，University of Chinese Academy of Science
Zhu Zhengguang Ocean Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China
Gillian Sun Communications and Community Development Manager, Impact Hub Shangha
Xiong Jiani Founder of Tongxuan ed
07
Meeting agenda
08
You Will Gain
Face-to-face exchanges with experts and scholars from distinguished universities like Tsinghua University, senior officials of international organizations, heads of CRGTCDC Program, global youth representatives, and NGO leaders.
An opportunity to plan An opportunity to plan Global Youth Sustainable Development Action Plan Camp so as to promote the SDGs.
09
We Will Meet On
August, 8th, 2020 (Beijing Time, UTC + 8)
Session One (10:00-11:30):
Ecological Governance and Social Development Dialogue with Experts
Session Two (14:00-16:00):
Case Studies on Ecological Governance and Social Development: Findings by Global Youths
Session Three (16:30-18:00):
Global Youth Sustainable Development Action Plan Promotion Meeting
We will meet online via ZOOM.
10
Our Partners
1.Initiator: China Railway Guizhou Tourism Culture Development Co., LTD（CRGTCDC）
2.Academic Sponsor: Horizon Program
3.Special Partners: Social Responsibility Practitioners (SRP), China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN), Young Sustainable Impact (YSI) China
4.Publicity Partners: Social Responsibility Practitioners (SRP), China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN), Young Sustainable Impact (YSI) China, Students’ Association for Global Affairs (SAGA), PASDO, Tsinghua GoGlobal, Patronus Group, After-graduate public library, Watson Institute, OxCNPAIR, KCL Chinese Public Affairs（KCL CPA）, SCO Countries Youth League (SCOLAR), Quke, SHIMMER,Indiana University Chinese Students & Scholars Association
We are all set for the summit. Come and join us! We are waiting for you!
Scan the QR code to sign up for the summit:
For audience/participants:
For partners (publicity and other partnerships):
Volunteers of the Summit
