BEIJING, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The China-Europe Sustainable Development Qingdao Forum and 2022 International Health and Environment Forum took place at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on September 5. The forum, themed "PROMOTING GREEN COOPERATION FOR A WIN-WIN FUTURE", aims to further deepen the practical collaboration between China and Europe in environment and climate, with a focus on making green cooperation a new engine of a China-Europe comprehensive strategic partnership, while strengthening the exchanges and cooperation between China and Europe as it has to do with green economy and green finance. The forum was co-organized by Qingdao Municipal People's Government, the International Health and Environment Industries Association (IHEIA), Administrative Committee of Qingdao West Coast New Area, and Qingdao Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

China-Europe Environment and Climate Qingdao Forum was announced and scheduled to be held in Qingdao West Coast New Area in 2023 in a hybrid online and in-person format. The planned forum is to serve as a collaborative green economy/green financial platform for the development and implementation of an environmentally-responsible economy supported by a likeminded approach to finance. The event will bring together a group of environment and climate experts and think tanks, and create a China-Europe environment and climate industry cooperation zone. Led by local governments and think tanks, the forum will lend new impetus to the transformation of old growth drivers to new ones, along with industrial restructuring in combination with high-quality and environmentally-responsible social and economic development in the West Coast New Area and the city of Qingdao. The effort promises to transform Qingdao into a model for cooperation and the development of environment- and climate-related industries involving both China and Europe.

In addition, the Green Model of the China-Europe Rural Revitalization Initiative was officially rolled out at the opening ceremony. Built upon the abundant ecological, industrial and cultural resources of Qingdao West Coast New Area, the project will provide a new China-Europe cooperation model for integrating energy transformation, industrial transformation, ecological restoration and green finance, in a move to realize sustainable development in the areas of industry, agriculture, culture, and water utilization, while serving as a demonstration project for the cooperation between China and Europe on green rural revitalization.

At the event, an advisory board for collaboration between China and Europe to develop environment- and climate-related industries was formally established. The board is composed of some of the world's leading academicians and experts in energy, environment, climate and economy. It will provide guidance both on academic research as well as industrial and sustainable development for the China-Europe Environment and Climate Qingdao Forum, the International Sustainable Development Innovation Center and the China-Europe Environment and Climate Industries Cooperation Zone.

During the forum, China and the EU achieved productive cooperation results. Qingdao West Coast New Area initiated environmental cooperation projects with the IHEIA, Chongwa (Macao) Financial Assets Exchange Co., Ltd. and Shandong Future Group Co., Ltd., while the Bank of Qingdao signed a memorandum of cooperation with the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) to jointly promote green and sustainable financial development, giving a strong boost to the city's green economic development. In addition, experts at the conference delivered keynote speeches and attended roundtable dialogues at which they discussed carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, green development, green finance, and China-Europe green industries cooperation.