On January 29, “China Environmental Grantmakers Alliance (CEGA)” that jointly initiated by SEE Foundation, Qiaonyu Foundation , Mangrove Conservation Foundation , Lao Niu Foundation, Guangdong Harmony Foundation (GHF), Paradise Foundation, Vanke Foundation, China Green Carbon Foundation , China Environmental Protection Foundation, and Friends of Nature, was officially launched in Beijing.
CEGA Launching Ceremony
China Environmental Grantmakers Alliance (CEGA) is a platform for exchanges and cooperation among environmental grantmakers in China. It aims at using the concept of strategic charity to promote cooperation and development of grantmakers in environment, lead the future funding directions in environment, and maximize the social benefits of charitable funds in environment.
CEGA is not an independent legal entity registration organization. It operates based on the China Foundation Center (CFC) and sets up a Decision-Making Committee to guide CEGA operation. The first Decision-Making Committee consists of founding members who have a three-year term each period, and the Chairman of Decision-Making Committee is elected by the Committee.
Our Foundation’s Executive Director and Secretary-General Lei Yongsheng (left), Secretary General of the SEE Foundation Zhang Li (right) serve as the first Co-Chairmen of CEGA
Zhang Ruiying, Director of CFC Strategic Charity Research Center, serves as CEGA’s first Executive Director
CEGA’s main areas of work include:
1. To establish a data center for charitable organizations in environment to conduct comprehensive analyses of environmental charity projects and provide support for the work of member units;
2. To publish annual white papers on environmental charity and lead the future direction of environmental charity work;
3. To organize CEGA annual conferences to promote communication and influence between members;
4. To promote international exchanges and cooperation in environmental charity, and organize member units to participate in important international conferences in related fields;
5. To establish the classification criteria and influence evaluation index system for environmental charitable projects to systematically and accurately evaluate the social influence of environmental charity organizations.
The launching ceremony was hosted by Ms. Zhang Ruiying, Director of CFC Strategic Charity Research Center and the first Executive Officer of CEGA.
Tao Ze, President of CFC, delivered a welcome speech, extended his congratulations on the establishment of CEGA, appreciation to the guests’ attendance, and the willingness of CFC to support the development of CEGA.
Tao Ze, President of CFC
1. Beijing, Guangdong, and Inner Mongolia rank among the top three in the national environmental grants;
2. New grantmakers enter constantly, making great potential for future development;
3. Grant amount is relatively stable, and small-scale innovative experimental projects continue to increase;
4. The directions of project are various with equal emphasis on issues and strategies;
5. Forest protection, desertification prevention & control, and water pollution prevention & control are the most concerned;
6. Grantmakers’ investment in industry capability training is increasing;
7. This team has grown stronger and younger;
8. Post-70s are the mainstay and Post-80s are ready to serve as backup;
9. The head’s benefits highlight, the industry leads groups for presenting;
10. Inter-institution cooperation has been continuously strengthened with greater support among partners.
In the next “Chairman Dialogue” part, the first CEGA Co-Chairmen, Lei Yongsheng (our Foundation’s Executive Director and Secretary-General) and Zhang Li (Secretary-General of SEE Foundation) shared their initial intentions and vision of establishing CEGA.
Lei Yongsheng, our Foundation’s Executive Director and Secretary-General
Mr. Lei Yongsheng mentioned that environmental protection has always been a part of Lao Niu Foundation. It was a great honor to work together with many colleagues in the industry to initiate CEGA by building an “exchange and cooperation” platform, integrate various wisdom and resources, and maximize the social benefits of charitable resources to further promote the overall development of environmental protection industry and even charity industry.
Zhang Li, Secretary-General of SEE Foundation
Mr. Zhang Li said that SEE Foundation kept taking social responsibilities as its mission, entrepreneurs as its principal part, and ecological protection as its goals; and it was pleasant to be a founding member of CEGA. Environmental protection issue was not a partial issue but a global issue. He hoped to work with many industrial partners, give full play to their own advantages, create sustainable environmental development and governance models, and create a better future.
Two Chairmen also looked forward to the vision of CEGA and hoped people’s attention and support to CEGA.
Next was keynote speech by experts in the field of environment. Professor Zhang Xiliang from Tsinghua University, Professor Wang Shulan from Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, and Professor Lyu Zhi from Peking University respectively described the challenges that China faced in climate change, air pollution, and ecological destruction, and expressed expectations for CEGA at the same time.
Keynote speeches by Professor Zhang Xiliang (left), Professor Wang Shulan (middle), and Professor Lyu Zhi (right)
Guests of the roundtable forum with the theme of “Building a Better Environment for Future” included Zhang Yongsheng (chief expert of the green development fundamental field of Development Research Center of the State Council), Jia Feng (Director of Propaganda & Education Center of Ministry of Environmental Protection), Xu Yongguang (President of Board of Narada Foundation), and Li Haiyan (former Inspector of International Cooperation Department of the National Development and Reform Commission). They all agreed that the establishment of CEGA was a significant event for Chinese charity, and hoped that CEGA would play a platform advantage to help the development of environmental charity and guide charitable organizations, government, enterprises and academia to jointly cope with environmental challenges in China and the world to create a better environment and a new future.
“Building a Better Environment for Future” Roundtable Forum
Li Dun (President of Board of Friends of Nature Foundation) who had participated in the annual meeting of the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) and Li Wei (President of Board of the Woqi Foundation) have also came up to stage to congratulate CEGA on its establishment.
Last but not least, our Foundation’s Executive Director and Secretary-General Lei Yongsheng and other 9 foundation representatives, including Du Yongsheng (President of Board of China Green Carbon Foundation), Dong Ce (President of Qiaonyu Foundation), Zhang Li (Secretary-General of SEE Foundation), Sun Lili (Secretary-General of Mangrove Conservation Foundation), Wang Shuwen (Secretary-General of Guangdong Harmony Foundation), Zhang Boju Secretary-General of Friends of Nature Foundation), representative from Paradise Foundation, representative from Vanke Foundation, and representative from China Environmental Protection Foundation, respectively gave “speeches of founders”, telling their original intentions of participating in establishment of CEGA, proposing their expectations for its future development, and received certificated of CEGA founding organizations.
CEGA Launching Ceremony
On the same day, more than 80 attending guests witnessed the launching of CEGA together. Some people who were not present expressed their congratulations and expectations on the CEGA establishment as well.
Congratulatory Letter
Mr. Qu Geping (Honorary President of Board of China Environmental Protection Foundation, the first Director-General of National Environmental Protection Agency, Chairman of the 8th and 9th NPC Environment and Resources Protection Committee):
“The 19th National Party Congress put forward that China has entered a new era, we must realize that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and act on this understanding to build a beautiful China. I am very excited and encouraged. I told the comrades in the field of environmental protection that as the Party Central Committee has determined such a beautiful and firm development direction, environmentalists must take new steps in the new era and do a better job in environmental protection. The establishment of CEGA is a new step for Environmental Protection Foundation. I appreciate this with my congratulations!”
Wishes
Niu Gensheng (Founder and Honorary President of our Foundation, Founder of Mengniu, Member of Yili’s Founding Team, Vice President of China Charity Alliance):
“The establishment of CEGA marks a new level of China’s environmental charity. This is also significant for the development of the entire charity industry in China. I expect CEGA to utilize the concept of strategic charity to lead the funding direction of environmental charities and promote maximization of environmental charity capital’s social benefits.”
He Qiaonyu (Founder and President of Qiaonyu Foundation, President of Orient Landscape Investment Holdings Co., Ltd., Member of the 12th Beijing municipal committee of CPPCC):
“As an initiator, I am very pleased to see the successful establishment of CEGA! I expect CEGA to promote exchanges, cooperation, and win-win condition in the field of environmental funding and create a better environment and a new future!”
Wang Shi (Founder and Honorary Chairman of Vanke Group, President of Board of Vanke Foundation):
"Having participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference many times, when I saw the role that other countries’ philanthropic organizations played in promoting and participating in international environmental conventions, I thought we Chinese environmental philanthropic organizations could also work together to jointly give out Chinese voices together with governments and enterprises!”
