BEIJING, China – December 14, 2012 – Today, Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Peter Kent, serving as the International Executive Vice Chair for the China Council, concluded three days of co-chairing the Annual General Meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development with China’s Minister of Environmental Protection, Minister Zhou Shengxian.

　　"Canada is proud of the leadership role it has played in the China Council for over two decades, tackling critical environment and development issues,"said Minister Kent. "The research undertaken by the China Council has influenced important changes in Chinese policies, including the development of China’s environmental impact assessment legislation and adoption of measures to reduce soil, water and air pollution."

　　The Council’s 2012 Annual General Meeting resulted in key recommendations to strengthen marine environmental protection, address regional air pollution challenges, and establish a balanced and green regional development strategy across the various regions of China.

　　The China Council is a high-level international advisory body that provides China’s State Council with research-based policy recommendations on a wide range of environment and development issues. It consists of 32 Chinese and 25 international members from various countries and organisations who have significant expertise in the fields of environment and development.

　　Canada helped to establish the China Council in 1992, and is the lead international partner of the Council serving as the vice chair at the China Council’s annual general meeting. Since the founding of the China Council, China has experienced continued and rapid economic growth which has brought about increasing pressure on its environment and natural resources. Combined with a number of global environmental challenges such as climate change and loss of biodiversity, the work of the China Council plays an ever important role in facilitating high quality research and providing advice on specific policy measures to Chinese decision-makers.