This year’s Eco Forum Global held 6-8 July in Giuyang, China, themed as “Embracing a new era of eco-civilization: Green development with high priority to ecology,” brought together over two thousand business, governmental, and academic leaders from all over the world and involved international organizations specializing in environmental protection and green development.

Established in 2009 by now-IUCN President Xinsheng Zhang, the Eco Forum Global is an major annual international gathering that seeks to improve the global ecological environment. As a high-level, non-profit, international platform, it promotes the Chinese concept of “ecological civilization” by convening world leaders in government, business, academia, and civil society to build a bridge for intergovernmental and intersectoral cooperation.

The Forum this year focused on ten sectors (Industrial Technology Innovation, Harmonious and Beautiful Society, Integrated Environmental Management, Action on Climate Change, Nature Conservation, Biodiversity Protection, System and Mechanism Innovation, Supervision and Management System, Belt and Road Construction, Beautiful Guizhou Practice), four pillars (Green Development, Environment Protection, Nature Conservation, Institutional Reform), and held several consultative sessions on international cooperation.  

Justice Antonio Benjamin, WCEL Chair and Interim Governing Committee Member of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment (GJIE), and Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Michael Wilson, WCEL Member and Member of the GJIE Interim Governing Committee, attended this year’s Eco Forum Global and gave presentations. Justice Benjamin discussed the importance of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment. Justice Wilson presented on the role of the judiciary in combatting climate change.

Justice Benjamin commented that the event was a huge success and extended his congratulations to IUCN President Zhang and all those involved.

By letter, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated the organizers for a successful conference. He emphasized the importance of ecological conservation and future generations. President Xi Jinping articulated China’s readiness to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.