On August 18, China set up a think tank comprising two advisory
committees to assist the central government in creating effective
policies on environmental protection issues.
Eighty-six?environmental protection experts were selected
as members of the think tank, the State Environment Counsel
Committee and the Science and Technology Committee for the State
Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), said Zhou
Shengxian, head of SEPA, in an interview with Xinhua.
"China is facing a great deal of environment challenges and this
is a time when democracy in policy making is vital," Zhou said.
"And the era of SEPA monopolizing the decision-making process is
set to end."
Among the advisors are 30 academicians with the Chinese Academy
of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and retired
SEPA officials.
"In the past, our gravest mistake was that we made environmental
protection decisions without using scientific and democratic
means," said Qu Geping, a committee member and former SEPA
chief.
"The setting up of this think tank is an unprecedented and
important move," Qu added.
Ma Zhong, another committee member and professor of the People's
University in Beijing, said people from outside SEPA can provide
more objective opinions and prevent bureaucracy in
decision-making.
"SEPA will listen to the committees for all major decisions in
the future," Zhou said. "No policies should be made without
research, expert assessment and debate."
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2006)