On July 9, 2020, Mr. Yi-Heng Cheng, a member of the Club of Rome and Professor at College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, attended an online discussion on environmental issues entitled “Un-limiting to Enlightenment after COVID-19” with more than twenty members of the Taihe Young International Scholars Association (TYISA).
Professor Cheng said that the COVID-19 pandemic had brought global economic production to an almost complete standstill, but as the overall situation was gradually getting better, with a few exceptions, the status of pandemic control had been improved worldwide. In the “post-pandemic era”, going back to the old normal or starting a new normal will be a top priority for countries’ economic recovery. However, the lack of environmental sustainability as well as the insufficient use of renewable resources were still great challenges facing all mankind. Professor Cheng proposed that in the process of restarting the economy, we should consciously adjust the traditional economic framework, improve the efficiency of resource utilization, and implement an environmentally-friendly recycle economy under consideration of planetary boundaries. As a rising star of industrial civilization and the pioneer of ecocivilization, China, while promoting economic development, has made extraordinary efforts and contributions in terms of reducing environmental pollution and carbon emissions, compared with other countries. The serious consequences of environmental pollution, specially carbon emission which caused climate crisis, are still great challenges that the world needs to face together. Professor Cheng pointed out that we could strike a balance between industrial economic development and the construction of ecological civilization through the innovation of the origin on CO2-Resourcing, the optimization of industrial clusters, structures and continuous product innovation on business modes. By doing so, we would leave a cleaner environment and richer resources to future generations and create a better future for humanity and the planet.
Promoting the coordination and sustainable development of the economy, society, and resources as well as environmental protection is a problem that will face mankind perpetually. In the future, the Taihe Institute will organize more such activities to build a platform for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of wisdom among all parties.
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