By Greentech Lead Asia: China and the European Union
will establish a new platform for sharing experiences in water management to
address the increasing challenges of urbanization and climate change.
The Ministry of Water Resources of China and the European
Council announced a joint statement on building the China Europe Water Platform
at World Water Forum. The new platform will sustain existing cooperation
between the two sides and bring it to a higher level.
The initiative was launched in 2002 by the EU to promote
better water governance and strengthen political commitments for the attainment
of the Millennium Development Goals in the water sector.
The program, started in 2000, has witnessed cooperation
between the two sides in managing two of China’s largest rivers, including the
conservation of the Yellow River basin and the rehabilitation project of the
Yangtze River. The EU funded $ 32.6 million for the program, and China invested
$126 million.
Both parties will strengthen cooperation in water
technology research and policymaking in managing key river basins. The new
platform also ensures the participation of private sector in water management
in China and Europe and explores new fields of common interests.
“Enhancing cooperation and exchanges in the water
sector between China and Europe is of great significance to both sides, and
even for the whole world,” said Chen Lei, China’s water minister.
Denmark and Portugal will lead the initiative from the
European side. The platform will be implemented within the framework of the EU
Water Initiative and will remain in place for the next five years
According to a report in China
plans to invest 4 trillion yuan in the water sector over the next decade this
investment is expected to offer opportunities for more stakeholders from the
European side.
The statement was signed as the EU-China River Basin
Management Program comes to an end this July.
In addition to coordination at the European level,
China’s water resources ministry has also signed bilateral agreements or
memorandums with water authorities of 17 European countries.
editor@greentechlead.com