Blacksmith China Steps Forward With Establishment of Local Technical Advisory Board
* Note: Blacksmith’s China Technical Advisory Board is the first international offshoot of Blacksmith’s highly regarded US-based TAB. Plans are underway to form other branches to support Blacksmith’s global work.
Beijing, China–On Feb 15, 2012, Blacksmith Institute officially launched its China Technical Advisory Board (C-TAB) with an initiation meeting in Beijing. C-TAB is made up of highly well-known and experienced professionals from a range of disciplines related to the environment and development, especially heavy metal pollution, health, ecosystem services, engineering, integrated basin management and humanitarian development, at national, regional and local levels within China, as well as members of the U.S. Technical Advisory Board.
C-TAB members from the China Academy of Sciences (CAS), China Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention（China CDC), China Research Center for Public Policy (CRCCP), and the Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environment & Soil Sciences participated in the meeting. U.S. representatives included Blacksmith Institute President Richard Fuller and Senior Advisor Karti Sandilya.
The meeting reviewed and endorsed the Terms of Reference for C-TAB, announced membership and chairmanship of the C-TAB, reviewed and endorsed the China Country Strategy, and discussed programming priorities and outreach strategy for Blacksmith’s China Programme 2012 – 2014.
Blacksmith’s two new projects were launched by a signing ceremony at the meeting. Representatives from Hunan and Jiangxi participated were present.
This meeting comes at a time when the Chinese Government has released its ever first national five-year plan for addressing heavy metal pollution nationwide. Blacksmith Institute has gained strong support from partner institutions in initiating and implementing cooperation projects in past years. Its mission, objectives and value are recognized by partners in China. The establishment of the C-TAB is an opportunity to affirm Blacksmith’s continuing commitment to work with China’s counterparts on addressing heavy metal pollution. It is a significant milestone of Blacksmith Institute’s cooperation with policy-making bodies, academic research institutions and practitioners at all levels in China.
Mr. Wang Wuyi, professor at CAS, serves as the chairman of the C-TAB for the first session. He said, “The C-TAB will play a vital role in ensuring strategic advice and technical support to Blacksmith Institute’s China Programme. We will try to make the best of the platform and make the full use of the expertise resources, to work together for our common goal of a clean and safe world. “
“It is the first Technical Advisory Board that we have set up outside the U.S.,” said Richard Fuller.”I have every confidence for its success and significance. I believe that with the input and expertise of these well recognized C-TAB members, Blacksmith Institute cooperation projects in China will be more effective and play an even more important role in capacity building and knowledge exchange in the fields of heavy metal pollution prevention, cleanup and remediation, and health. “