Eco-Forum Global (EFG) is China's primary national platform to promote sustainable development and build eco-civilization. As such, it engages leading global intellectual leaders, policy makers, business executives and other stakeholders.

Recognizing the complexities in confronting the ecological, environmental and climate challenges originating from the unsustainable production and consumption patterns associated with the traditional industrialization, we understand we must find common grounds to mobilize worldwide stakeholders to foster technological innovation, transform ways of production and living, alter GDP-centered policies and bridge the green gap between developed nations and developing nations. For this, EFG aspires to build knowledge-sharing platforms, best practice sharing communities, green development action networks and North-South dialogue conduits.

Despite its non-governmental and non-profit nature, the inception of EFG signifies the joint efforts of Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, National Committee on Population, Resources and Environment of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Housing and Rural-Urban Development, Ministry of Commerce, State Forestry Administration, Chinese Academy of Science, Chinese Academy of Engineering, China Association of Mayors and Peking University, as well as UN agencies and other leading international organizations. The co-founder and Executive Chairman Zhang Xinsheng is President of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, the world's first global environmental organization and the largest professional global conservation network, with Permanent Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly). He was also Chairman of the Executive Board of UNESCO (2005-2007).

Since its foundation in 2009, EFG has engaged thousands of top governmental leaders, Nobel Laureates, influential business executives and NGO representatives to address our common challenges and explore effective solutions. Mr. Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Mr. Gerhard Schr?der, former Chancellor of Germany, and others, delivered keynote speeches in previous Annual Conferences and interacted with local communities in Guizhou. In 2011, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, sent a formal letter to EFG's summit meeting, complimenting that "this year's focus on Green Changes towards Eco-civilization, Challenges and Opportunities can provide an important input to the preparations for the next year's Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development".

At the Rio+20 Summit, EFG organized two successful side events with support and active participation of influential figures including Mr. Sha Zukang (former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Secretary-General of the Rio+20), Mr. Maurice Strong (former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Secretary-General of the 1992 Earth Summit at Rio), Professor Rajendra Pachauri (Chairman of IPCC), Chinese leaders, and some other international celebrities. In July 2012, EFG organized the first international major post-Rio+20 international forum with more than 1000 participants to mobilize the implementation of the outcomes of the Rio+20 Summit.

EFG's efforts were elevated to a new level in 2013. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his message of congratulations to the Eco-Forum Global Annual Conference 2013. Chinese Executive Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli delivered the opening keynote speech to the Annual Conference 2013 on July 20. Last year's conference also drew attendance of Swiss President Ueli Maurer, former Italian Prime Minister and EU President Romano Prodi among 2,000 participants around the world. The event brought thoughtful and practical debates on solutions to cultivate green industry, green city and green consumption that can lead sustainable development.

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