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As the first article in the series of articles on the 20th anniversary of ACEF, we will first review the three core businesses of ACEF established at the early stage of its founding - to unite and unite environmental protection social organizations across the country, to safeguard the environmental rights and interests of the public, and to establish the international status of China's environmental associations. Standing at the new starting point of 20 years old and full of vigour, we will also continue to give full play to the advantages of the platform, bravely take up the mission, develop and innovate, gather the strength of all parties, and contribute to the construction of a beautiful China." On 27 May 2025, ACEF celebrated its 20th birthday. As a national non-profit social organization approved by the State Council, registered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment as the industry management department, ACEF has always been adhering to the concept of "Greater China, Greater Environment, Greater Union", and has continued to work hard in uniting and coalescing environmental protection organizations, defending environmental rights, and engaging in international exchanges. Since its founding in 2005, ACEF has linked nearly 1,000 environmental organizations nationwide, initiated more than 100 public interest lawsuits and national policy proposals, participated in dozens of international conventions, and led the implementation of more than 10 major international co-operation projects from the United Nations and other relevant international organizations, thus comprehensively assisting the construction of China's ecological civilization. Uniting environmental organizations: building a platform for environmental public welfare With the core concept of "big unity", ACEF has continued to work on the construction of a collaborative network of environmental organizations under the guidance of the Department of Publicity and Education of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Up to now, it has built a database of environmental protection social organizations covering 30 provinces, formed a cross-regional collaboration mechanism for over 500 environmental protection organizations, and continued to explore the construction of a resource-sharing platform and linkage mechanism in the field of environmental public welfare through the local hub organizations, so as to enhance the overall efficiency of environmental public welfare actions. In 2006, ACEF published China's first census report on environmental NGOs, and has held 17 consecutive annual conferences on the sustainable development of environmental NGOs since 2006.The annual conference has become a benchmark platform for the industry, attracting representatives of environmental organizations from all over the country to participate every year. Focusing on the hot topics of the year, the delegates carry out in-depth discussions and exchanges, and build a solid platform for the collaborative promotion of public participation, social supervision and volunteer services in ecological environmental protection.    Defending Environmental Rights and Interests: A Sample of China's Environmental Rule of Law Under the joint planning and promotion of Song Jian, Xie Zhenhua, Qu Geping and many other founding leaders, ACEF established the important function of defending the rights and interests of the public environment at the beginning of its establishment. Up to now, ACEF has submitted 15 legal proposals to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), 18 legal suggestions to the NPC Environment and Resources Committee (ERC), the NPC Legal Affairs Committee (LAC), and the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment (former Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP)), etc., and has carried out empirical researches and submitted 8 thematic research reports on the hotspots and difficult issues of the environmental law, with the research results providing the scientific basis for the policy formulation. In 2009, ACEF took the lead in filing the first environmental public interest litigation case against an environmental protection social organization in China, which gave a strong impetus to the inclusion of the public interest litigation system in the Environmental Protection Law. To date, ACEF has filed a total of 97 environmental public interest litigation cases, covering a wide range of areas such as water, gas, sound, and slag environmental pollution and ecological damage, biodiversity protection, and response to climate change, etc., and has been selected as one of the typical cases of various environmental resource trials issued by the Supreme People's Court every year.  International Exchange: Telling the Story of China's Ecological and Environmental Protection Sector ACEF is the only national association whose function is to "establish the international status of China's environmental protection organizations". Since its establishment, ACEF has maintained close cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China and other relevant ministries and commissions, and has continued to participate in the United Nations environmental process.   At present, ACEF has more than 10 important international qualifications, including consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, consultative status with the United Nations Environment Programme, and observer status with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Over the past 20 years, ACEF has participated in more than 40 high-level consultative meetings, NGO forums, and meetings of the convention process of the United Nations system, and has actively demonstrated China's environmental protection organizations’ international status through side events, exhibitions, proposals, and other forms of participation. Through side events, exhibitions and proposals, it has actively demonstrated China's civil action in the field of ecological and environmental protection, continuously participated in multilateral civil consultations, and effectively assisted China's environmental diplomacy. |
(This English version is for your reference only.In case any discrepancy exists between the Chinese and English context, the Chinese version shall prevail.)