Cultivate International Talents and Participate in Global Environmental Governance | Wang Zhijia Interviewed by CBCGDF OceanWetlands

Recently, Ms. WANG Huo, editor-in-chief of OceaWetlands Platform of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation(CBCGDF), interviewed Mr. WANG Zhijia, former director of the International Cooperation Department of the State Environmental Protection Administration, former deputy director of the United Nations Environment Program, and professor of Tongji University, on the topic of cultivating international talents and participating in global environmental governance. The following content is compiled based on the interview content for readers' reference.

Editor-in-chief: The 2024 summer vacation is here. I saw that domestic universities held youth competency forums and model United Nations climate conferences and other activities to cultivate international talents. What do you think of their significance?

Wang Zhijia: I am very happy to see the positive and effective measures taken by domestic universities to cultivate international talents. These activities have broadened students' international vision, cultivated students' international sentiments, and understood the operating mechanisms, diverse cultures and etiquette, relevant rules and practical skills required for international organizations and international conferences. This is of great significance for students to participate in global governance and cooperate with UN member states to build a community with a shared future for mankind in the future.

In 2021, UN Secretary-General Guterres submitted the report Our Common Agenda to the 75th UN General Assembly, looking forward to the road ahead for the next 25 years and depicting a vision for creating a new future for global cooperation and revitalizing inclusive, networked and fruitful multilateralism. This report was released at a critical juncture when mankind is at a historical turning point. Humanity faces a severe and urgent choice: to move further towards collapse or to make a breakthrough and move towards a greener, better and safer future? In the above forums and MUNs, Chinese youth gave positive responses to these questions.

For example, in the preparation process of the Climate Conference MUN, students must have understood the routines of negotiations, consulted the drafting, negotiation, positions of relevant stakeholders of the Climate Change Convention, and various communiqués, statements, minutes and other materials of important diplomatic conferences; collected data and information related to climate change, such as oceans and the environment, as important explanations and supplementary materials for reasoning and argumentation. Such activities are undoubtedly conducive to improving students' skills in acquiring knowledge and their ability to solve practical problems.

More importantly, we are sending a message to the public, or to the world: Chinese youth are concerned about climate change and are willing to take all actions to improve it.

Editor-in-Chief: Climate change has become one of the most pressing challenges in the world and has received widespread attention from the international community. Please tell us how you view global climate governance?

Wang Zhijia: Regarding climate governance, the Chinese government advocates that all countries should follow the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, equity and respective capabilities, continue to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change through voluntary contributions and international cooperation, and promote the construction of a fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win global climate governance system. The MUN takes issues related to the operation of the international carbon market as topics and revolves around Articles 6.2, 6.4 and 6.8 of the Paris Agreement. This is a very beneficial practice and also a voice to the climate conference. On the stage of international climate change negotiations, we must adhere to principles and uphold fairness and justice!

As for the IPCC report, it reflects the progress in climate science cognition and provides key materials for climate negotiations and decision-making. What is worrying is that only 110 of the 191 Parties submitted new or updated versions of their nationally determined contributions before COP26. Why is this the case? We should think about the reasons and find the answers.

Editor-in-Chief: Every year, we receive many letters from young talents who hope to have the opportunity to participate in international organizations. What advice do you have for young people who are interested in global climate governance (today)?

Wang Zhijia: First of all, let's take a look at the global environmental crisis we are in today. Since 1972, global environmental governance has been underway for 52 years. What is the greatest achievement of the international community? It should be the improvement of people's environmental awareness. What is the biggest environmental crisis we are facing now? Climate change, environmental pollution, especially plastic pollution in the ocean, and loss of biodiversity. According to the 2018 WWF report, 60% of the biological species on Earth have been lost in the past 40 years. How terrible! This should also be the focus of the work of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation. What do we want in the future? The college students I have contacted have a clear understanding of this: protect the environment and protect biodiversity. In fact, the choices we make every day can make a difference to the world.

As a young person in the new era, no matter what work you do in the future, faith and patriotism are very important. Since the 1980s, I have had the honor of witnessing and participating in the landmark Conference on Environment and Development and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Multilateral Environmental Conventions. In December 1997, at the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Conference in Kyoto, Japan, the last meeting lasted for 56 hours. Delegations from various countries worked day and night at the negotiation table, adhering to their national interests and the bottom line of the negotiations. What supported the representatives was the responsibility and feelings of loyalty to their duties and loyalty to the country.

On the current international stage, the situation of strong north and weak south may not change in a short time. What is the specific situation? I remember that at the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol negotiation meeting, the US delegation had more than 80 people. The EU countries were also strong. The Chinese delegation had 13 people, which was still the largest number of delegations in developing countries. This is the situation. It is urgent to cultivate international talents who are good at fighting, proficient in business, and familiar with negotiation rules. In the past ten years since returning to China, I have seen hope from the international talent training activities of colleges and universities. Hope lies in their new generation. In order to improve their own abilities and serve their country, college teachers and students are willing to participate in these activities during the winter and summer holidays and weekends. It is admirable! It is touching!

Editor-in-chief: Many young people hope to work at the United Nations. What suggestions do you have for the training of young talents who are interested in working at the United Nations?

Wang Zhijia: I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate one sentence. In many senses, there are two United Nations. The first is the United Nations of member states, the management level; the second is the Secretariat led by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the executive level. Colleges and universities are training international talents for these two United Nations.

In the past few years, Chinese universities have achieved remarkable results in the training of talents for international organizations. In this regard, Tsinghua University has always been ahead of Chinese universities. It can be seen from the Model United Nations held in China that many good seedlings have emerged. They will be the reserve army and the new generation who will go to the first United Nations to display their talents, cooperate with various countries, and show their style. As for serving in the second United Nations, fresh college graduates are not qualified.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize that the member states of the United Nations are not 193 ships in the global village, but 193 positions on a big ship. Participating in the control of the direction of the big ship, participating in global governance, and cooperating with various countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind requires a large number of talents with global competence. In the future, we should increase our efforts to cultivate the ability to analyze local, global and cross-cultural issues, understand and appreciate other people's perspectives and worldviews, interact openly, appropriately and effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds, and take corresponding actions for collective well-being and sustainable development. Plant a seed of global literacy in the hearts of students. In the hope that in the first United Nations, they can communicate and collaborate with representatives of various countries to jointly optimize the major policies of global governance.

The situation is different when I serve in the second United Nations. In 2003, when I joined the United Nations Environment Programme (at the United Nations), I was the only Chinese at the headquarters. That year, the six African countries assisted by China had more people in the second United Nations than China. In 2014, the proportion of Chinese in the United Nations Secretariat was 1.09%. By 2023, the data I saw was 1.46%. Reflecting on this matter, there may be a problem of understanding. A, it takes ten years to grow trees, and a hundred years to cultivate people. Cultivating and promoting international talents is a long-term thing. You can't be slow, nor can you be impatient. B. I used to think that the second United Nations has high thresholds, high salaries, and is high-end. Don't even think about working there. I don't expect to go there. Now I know that the work there is not easy, the work intensity is high, and the work philosophy and routines are very different from those in China; the balance between work and life is also a big problem. For example, the job location changes frequently, and the single rate of female UN employees is quite high. Many people who meet the entry requirements are unwilling to go. The times require a large number of talents with global literacy, international sentiments, and willingness to serve the world. I see that domestic universities are currently working hard for this.

Thank you for the interview with the CBCGDF. The above are my views on the current cultivation of international talents; it is also a little experience accumulated after working in state agencies and the United Nations for many years. I appreciate the United Nations' culture of "allowing mistakes". If what I said is inappropriate, I hope you can correct me. This will make me progress.

Original article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/FTOlxyb6uZxhfIml5em-UA

Translator:Daisy

Checked by Sara

Editor: Daisy

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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