GEI and Tianjin Government Launch Low-Carbon Development Training

TIANJIN (Oct. 21, 2014) – Chinese environmental NGO, the Global Environmental Institute (GEI) with the Tianjin Academy of Governance (TJAG) introduced their jointly developed “Low-carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis” training course, entitled “Modern Training Ideas and Methods” for government officials. Leaders in charge of government staff training from the Administration of Civil Service (Human Resources Department and Academies of Governance) in Sichuan Province were in attendance.

The new course officially launches! – GEI 2014

The aim of the course is to explore a new training method for low-carbon policy making and to enhance the awareness and capacity of government staffs regarding quantitative policy analysis and scientific policy-making, through group discussion, simulation activities and other innovative teaching methods. As part of the course, quantitative analysis of public policies was demonstrated through

As part of the course, quantitative analysis of public policies was demonstrated through use of the “GHG Inventory and Forecast Toolkit”, jointly developed by GEI, the Institute of Policy and Management at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and U.S. Center for Climate Strategies.

The course was co-hosted by Li Yong and Dr. Wang Fang from the Department of Economics Teaching and Research in TJAG. GEI’s Energy and Climate Change program officers Yu Qingchan, Cui Nanying and Xu Shengnian facilitated parts of the group discussion and demonstration of the Toolkit.

Sights from the actual course – GEI 2014

Results from the course satisfaction questionnaire showed that over 90 percent of participants expressed great interest in the course, and are willing to attempt to apply the new training model to government staff training programs in their respective provinces and cities. Suggestions for course improvements were also collected by the project team.

In the future, GEI will continue its cooperation with the TJAG to develop more courses on low-carbon policy quantitative analysis.

Previous Cooperation with Tianjin Administrative Institute

• On July 10, 2014, the course entitled “Economic Analysis of Public Policy Model,” jointly developed by GEI and the Tianjin Administrative Institute, was introduced as a trial course in the training class of “Train the Administrators in Eastern China”.

Government officials in charge of government staff training from the Administration of Civil Service (Human Resources and Social Security Bureau) in over 40 provinces and cities including Shanghai, Hebei province, Guangdong province, Shandong province, Anhui province, Hainan province, etc. participated in the training class.

Course Goal:

• to explore a new training mode regarding public policy making and to enhance government staffs’ awareness and capacity of quantitative policy analysis and scientific policy-making through group discussion, simulation activities and other innovative teaching methods.

Course Impact:

• to demonstrated the quantitative analysis of public policies by adopting the “Policy Insight of China (PIC)” model, jointly developed by GEI, the Institute of Policy and Management at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS-IPM), U.S. Regional Economic Models, Inc. and the US-based Center for Climate Strategies (CCS).

The course was co-hosted by Liu Yaochen, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Department of Public Administration Teaching and Research at the Tianjin Administrative Institute, and Li Yong, Deputy Director of the Department of Economy Teaching and Research.

Recognition from China’s National Development and Reform Commission

GEI and TJAG first launched the “Economic Analysis of Low Carbon Public Policy” capacity building program on March 24, 2014. Officials from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Chinese Academy of Governance (CAG), Tianjin Reform and Development Commission, and representatives from several local academies of governance made speeches and attended the conference.

Li Gao, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change at the NDRC

“Using methods like quantitative analysis can help us make and implement strategic governmental decisions. Next time when we face new challenges in our work, this training will help us take the best actions we can. This type of work provides a huge assistance in choosing the best practices for the future.”

Zhao Xiaohu, Vice Principal of the TJAG

“This program will bring fresh innovation to how the TJAG trains its civil servants”.

Vice Principal Zhao expects that the program will obtain powerful results through providing research support for low carbon public policy in Tianjin, strengthening quantitative analysis of China’s public policy, and promoting the application of scientific decision making in low carbon planning.

Madame Jin Jiaman, GEI’s Executive Director

“GEI and the TJAG will collaborate on developing an easily applied software training program by using the ‘Low Carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis Toolkit’ already developed by a GEI project. We will also further expand the application of the toolkit by fully using the TJAG’s educational platform. … I hope that policy makers can use scientific methods to simultaneously achieve economic gain, and a low carbon future.”

CAG’s Education Administration Department Head Liu Endong, Tianjin RDC Vice Inspector HouYimin and other leaders also gave important speeches during the meeting. Leaders from the academies of governance in Beijing, Shanghai and Hebei among others engaged in a lively discussion on ways to improve and promote the program.

The meeting was presided over by Professor Wang Chonggao of the TJAG’s Education Department. Representatives from program funders including the Blue Moon Fund, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Oak foundation also attended and spoke at the event, along with project partners the US Center for Climate Strategies (CCS).

GEI’s Collaboration with TJAG and CAS-IPM

In 2013, GEI and the TJAG signed the Cooperation Pact Regarding Training and Promotion of the Low Carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis Toolkit. Both parties agreed to use the ‘Low Carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis Toolkit’, developed by a GEI project, during civil servant training and policy research to strengthen the strategic decision-making skills of Chinese local officials, and to provide policy with a strong scientific basis.

Since 2010 GEI, the Institute of Policy Management at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CCS have collaborated on the ‘Chinese Urban Low Carbon Planning Toolkit’ program. A China-specific ‘Low Carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis Toolkit’ resulted from the project research. This tool assists regional governments in using a strong scientific base to formulate low carbon policy, promote economic development, and achieve goals for carbon reduction.

The ‘Low Carbon Policy Quantitative Analysis Toolkit’ has already been used in Chongqing City’s 12th 5-Year Plan’s greenhouse gas reduction policy, to analyze the economic impact of Guangdong province’s carbon trading scheme, and has been acknowledged and adopted at Chinese Development and Reform Commission level in multiple locations.