The conference was one of the activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Norway, with the main purpose to disseminate experience gained from Sino-Norwegian cooperation project ISO14000, provide related information on implementation of ISO14000 in China, hand out Guidelines for Auto/Electric/Tourism Industries to industry associations, certification organizations, consulting organizations and ISO 14001 practitioners.
The overall objective of the ISO 14 000 project has been to improve the long-term environmental performance in Chinese automobile, electronics and tourism industry. This is achieved by transferring competence and practical skills in environmental management (ISO 14000) to Chinese counterparts. Sustainability is ensured through the gradual transfer of responsibility to these counterparts. Three years’ of implementation of the project proves that this objective has been realized. Firstly, the Norwegian Veritas (DnV) transferred the know-how and training to China Center for Certification (CCCI) and then to many parts of China through CCCI. Over three years, all major central and local ISO 14000 certification and training bodies as well as some consulting organizations in China have participated in the project and its training courses. Guidelines for environmental management system implementation in automobile, electronic and tourism industries have been developed and will greatly promote ISO14001 in these three industries. This is one of the most important achievements of the project and the most specific reflection of the competence transfer from DNV to CCCI and from Norway to China.
Local Environmental Protection Bureaus take charge of the implementation of environmental laws and play an important role in communicating with enterprises and they have an urgent need for the training of ISO14000. EPBs and relevant sectors all over China have attended the training one after another, and they have all gained a lot of EMS implementing experience from the project. Trough the implementation of the project, competence has gradually been transferred, and thus the overall objective on EMS capacity building in China has been realized.
The project’s implementation scope has been expanded from the first four provinces and three industries to nineteen provinces and fifteen industries. 713 participants from 294 enterprises, government organizations, research institutions, and consulting, certification and training bodies have participated in the training courses. The number of benefited provinces is bigger than expected. As a result, the project’s influence is further expanded. Particularly, some organizations and institutions from the press and publishing industry have also participated in the training, which indicates that the project has got extensive attention and active participation from the whole society.
China Center for Certification (CCCI) have reviewed Norway and Sweden’s advanced management modes, and Internal Control Regulation will provide a good reference to the environmental management of Chinese enterprises. Green taxes in Norway also provide additional incentives for business and industries to promote environmental management and efficient resource use. Sweden is now promoting Environmental Products Declaration, which is more specific and much stricter than Eco-Labeling. The experience of Fredrikstad in implementing Agenda 21 is worth learning. China has also formulated Agenda 21, but it only provides directions on the national level, most places (including big and medium cities) have not set up specific implementing plans for sustainable development. With the implementation of EMS ISO14001in some regions and cities, we should take a step forward to connect ISO14001 with regional sustainable development so that ISO14001 can become an important tool for the realization of local (regional) sustainable development. The implementation of ISO14001 standard should be further deepened.
Sino-Norwegian international environmental co-operation project “Capacity Building of ISO 14000 Implementation in China” has benefited enterprises most in directly helping their improvement of environmental performance. Statistical figures show that among the 166 enterprises (environmental protection, certification, consulting and research organizations are not included) that have participated in the project, 54 have been awarded ISO14001 certificates, accounting 33% of the total number of enterprises; 8 enterprises are now developing EMS, accounting 5% of the total number. They take up 38% of the total number altogether, and there’re more enterprises preparing to implement ISO14001. Praise and commendation of the project from enterprises make us feel that the joint effort and whole-hearted devotion of China and Norway have made outstanding improvements of Chinese enterprises’ environmental benefits.
On the whole, the Sino-Norwegian Project, featuring strong implementation influence, large number of training participants, wide scope of industries, and obvious effects, has not only realized the competence transfer from DNV to CCCI, but also strengthened the links among enterprises, environmental management organizations, trainers, and consulters, improved the abilities of practitioners, and enterprises’ environmental performance. The Sino-Norwegian cooperation project Capacity Building on Environmental Management According to ISO 14000 in China has been fully completed with the objectives all realized.
Contact person: Environmental Counsellor Inger Johanne Wiese