Capacity Building for Tianjin FY2012 in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment

　November 4 (Sun.) to 17 (Sat.), 2012

Three officials from the Environment Protection Bureau of the City of Tianjin, China, and other government organizations

The course on Environmental Impact Assessments included on-site training at related facilities, exchanges of opinions, and lectures by experts in the environmental field from Japanese companies, universities, and local governments. It was intended for the Chinese experts from the City of Tianjin to learn about environmental assessments in Japan, including efforts to reduce the negative impact on the environment, and later make full use of what they learned in the course by implementing environmental impact assessments after returning home.

Their positive attitudes clearly showed while asking many questions and exchanging opinions at the lectures and the sites they visited.

To conclude the curriculum, they presented their final reports regarding policies and methods they intended to implement in Tianjin to make the most of what they had learned in Japan. Full of excitement, they left on the morning of November 17.

[About lectures and on-site visits]

It was quite useful to learn about the Japanese ideas and methods of environmental assessments, which take landscape evaluation and biodiversity into consideration.

There are many parts in the Japanese environmental assessments that should be introduced in China, like the Japanese system to involve local residents and the ideas related to the use of landscape and ecology.

The world’s most advanced equipment is found at almost all new plants in China, but in Japan even plants dozens of years old are eco-friendly. Unlike Chinese companies, Japanese companies are greatly aware that economic growth must also give careful consideration to environmental protection. Chinese companies should follow suit in the future.

[About Yokkaichi]

The city is beautiful and clean, and it was felt that there is some vigor in the quiet environment.

The city has many chemical plants, but successfully maintains good air quality and clean rivers even in the urban area. It was felt that tremendous efforts for environmental protection must have been made by the administration, companies, and residents, because the city once suffered from serious pollution but very few plants moved out of the city and the city now enjoys this favorable environment.

[About the Japanese]

The Japanese are careful and hardworking.

Their humble and serious attitudes toward work are impressive.