Macao seeks to build up role as environmental co-op platform

MACAO, April 23 (Xinhua) -- As the "2008 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition" was unveiled here Wednesday, the city sees a chance to position itself as a regional environmental cooperation platform.

Macao would strive to enhance its position as an environmental cooperation platform that would help materialize the ideal of "thinking green, going clean and living cool", said Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), at the opening ceremony of the event.

In particular, the SAR will intensify strategic partnership with cities located in China's Pan-Pearl River Delta Region (PPRD)and play an intermediary role between the PPRD and member states of the European Union, he said.

The three-day event attracted more than 800 delegates from different governments, institutions and companies around the world. Some 59 experts and officials will give speeches on different environmental topics, including energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction, effective utilization of water resources, clean production, sustainable transportation/intelligent ecological city, etc.

"We are faced with a situation today in which environmental degradation threatened all aspects of human well-being, while global climate change was apparent and the conflict between sustainable growth and scarce resources was obvious," said Ho.

He also pointed out that Macao is a small place that lacks natural resources; as a result, "while water and energy resources have become a global topic, they are also everyday issues for us here in Macao."

Therefore, Ho said, although Macao's supplies of energy and fresh water are secured with the support from China's central government, "our government is also proactively, promoting energy efficiency, and raising public awareness of environmental protection and conservation of energy and water in order to do our part in ensuring a sustainable development."

A relevant exhibition, featuring 164 international institutes and companies of the environmental industry was also inaugurated in the Venetian Macao Convention Center, where the industry's most advanced technologies and products will be showcased.