Climate Change Fund and Partners Launch the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" Platform

On April 26, 2011, the "Climate Change Fund," jointly initiated by The Climate Group and the China Overseas Chinese Economic and Cultural Foundation, together with its partners, launched the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform, which received active participation and support from Philips (China) Investment Co., Ltd. Industry experts including Mr. Li Zupei, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Mr. Sun Zhen, Deputy Inspector of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr. Liu Qi, Secretary-General of the China Overseas Chinese Economic and Cultural Foundation, Ms. Wu Changhua, President of The Climate Group Greater China, Ms. Xu Shenjuan, Vice President of Philips Greater China, Mr. Chen Yansheng, Secretary-General of the China Association of Lighting Industry, as well as leaders from local governments, and representatives from well-known domestic and international enterprises and public welfare organizations, jointly witnessed the launch of the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform.

Guests launch the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform

Guests launch the "Green Lights the Future" program

Group photo of guests attending the launch ceremony of the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" Platform and the "Green Lights the Future" Project

　　In order to advocate for and support an increasing number of social welfare projects that focus on actual carbon reduction outcomes, the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform will take the lead in exploring the methods, pathways and means of implementing the "Three Verifiabilities" mechanism (i.e., measurable, reportable, and verifiable) for carbon emission reductions in low-carbon public welfare practice projects. By creating an independent and credible platform, it aims to strengthen carbon reduction awareness across society, thereby promoting deeper public participation in energy conservation and emission reduction practices. Wu Changhua, President of the Climate Group Greater China, stated that as an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting low-carbon development, the Climate Group hopes to attempt the measurement and verification of carbon emission reductions in the public welfare sector to accumulate experience and actively promote the more complete development of low-carbon practice projects. The platform's operation centers on an expert committee, which formulates carbon emission reduction measurement methods and supervises the accounting process, with the internet serving as the main display and reporting platform. The first phase focuses primarily on the fields of lighting, new energy and carbon sinks, and is open to all NGOs and enterprises, hoping to encourage more low-carbon practice public welfare projects to participate in the statistics and presentation of carbon reduction benefits.

　　Mr. Li Zupei, Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, believes that the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform is a key project under the "Climate Change Fund" of the China Overseas Chinese Economic and Cultural Foundation, and also a breakthrough attempt by this special fund in low-carbon practice projects. The launch of this platform will provide useful experience accumulation and reference for the foundation's development in the low-carbon field. While promoting the development of the special fund, it also broadens the foundation's practice in public welfare projects in the field of climate change.

　　As a key project of Philips in 2011, "Green Lights the Future" will be the first corporate low-carbon practice public welfare project presented on the "Public Welfare Carbon Tracking" platform. The project will replace energy-efficient lighting systems for 210 rural primary schools in Yunnan, Henan, Gansu, Guizhou, Shanxi and Shandong provinces, in order to improve school lighting conditions and reduce energy consumption. Xu Shenjuan, Vice President of Philips Greater China, stated: "As a leading company with a high sense of social responsibility, Philips has actively cooperated with the Chinese government in recent years to promote high-efficiency lighting product projects, donating large quantities of energy-saving lighting products to impoverished families in Tibet, Gansu, Hubei, Xinjiang and other regions, contributing its part to promoting the sustainable development of Chinese society. Now, Philips is delighted to join the government, public welfare organizations and other relevant parties to jointly launch the Public Welfare Carbon Tracking platform, actively exploring innovative ideas and approaches to energy conservation and emission reduction." The national "12th Five-Year Plan" puts forward clear mandatory energy conservation and emission reduction targets, and measuring and verifying the results of carbon emission reduction is an important step, as well as one of the key links for China to explore green development suited to its national conditions. With the growing development of Chinese public welfare organizations, their operations will also become more mature and professional. The efforts of public welfare organizations in the field of low-carbon practice, together with the government and enterprises, will jointly promote China's green development.