On May 28, the Erhai Forum 2023 on Global Ecological Civilization Construction took place in Dali, China. The event was hosted by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, People’s Government of Yunnan Province, and the China Public Relations Association. A parallel session titled “Better Ecology with Richer Biodiversity” was held by China Forum under Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) and the China Center for International Communication Development, bringing together government officials, scholars, and representatives of business associations and international organizations.

In his opening remarks, Da Wei, vice chair of China Forum and director of CISS, stressed the importance of ecological civilization and environmental protection, which is vital to building the community with a shared future for humankind. Biosecurity has risen as a topic of special concern for China’s national security, said Professor Da.

Yue Songtao, head of the Department of River and Lake Management of the Ministry of Water Resources, introduced China’s achievements, deficiencies and future direction in river and lake management. Li Su, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Dali Prefectural Committee, shared the city’s story in promoting ecological civilization construction and biodiversity protection. Wang Yuanfeng, director of the Center for Carbon Neutrality Technology and Strategy at Beijing Jiaotong University, shared his strategic analysis and suggestions on promoting ecological civilization through biodiversity conservation. Professor Kong Hainan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University shared the story of how Erhai Lake’s water quality continues to improve as efforts to protect its ecology are stepped up.

Aleksandra Smolak, deputy representative of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in China, shared her country’s experiences in biodiversity conservation. Fangyi Yang, senior programme officer at the International Union for Conservation of Nature in China, proposed suggestions and tools for non-state actors to participate in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Sir Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project, stressed the importance of biodiversity conservation and commended China’s achievements in this area.

In the discussion, panelists shared their insights on empowering the coexistence between human and nature, and explored the significance of biodiversity conservation in advancing ecological civilization.

Zhang Lirong, secretary general of China Forum and moderator of the session, said in his concluding remarks that protecting biodiversity and promoting ecological development are important elements in achieving high-quality growth. Harmonious human-nature coexistence is our common goal, and we still face daunting challenges in achieving that, which requires concerted efforts among countries.