On Friday December 11th, Daniel Foa and Hiu Ng, after speaking at COP15 on their concern for youth involvement in environmental efforts, entertained questions on the subject of “Youth and Sustainability.”

Below are the questions they were asked and a summary of their responses.

What spaces do young people have in China for contributing in the promotion of sustainable development?

Hiu and Dan emphasized China’s growing opportunities for youth through volunteer programs and student groups. They reflected on the situation in China, recognizing that before the Olympics, environmental awareness did not exist in China, but with the “Green Olympics” young Chinese adults were introduced to environmental politics. This education, while a positive start, was incomplete and without the necessary support to empower the youth. According to a Sohu survey of 22,000 people in China between the ages of 16 and 35, 75% did not feel they know the necessary actions to respond to climate change and 64% did not understand the factors that contribute to climate change. These opportunities are growing, but there is still need for even more opportunities, which 51Sim is dedicated to providing. 51Sim offers Chinese youth opportunities to get involved, gain a new perspective, and redesign their lives in an environmentally conscious way through programs like SISC, 51Tree, and Kaiche.

Why do you think innovation and sustainability are important in China?

Hiu and Dan emphasized the need for sustainability by stressing that China’s development, which has worked to benefit 1.3 billion people, has desolated China’s natural resources and damaged its environment. Innovative sustainable development offers China the opportunity to continue economic growth as the population continues to grow without bringing further damage to the environment and depleting the Earth’s natural resources. They supported COP15 and its emphasis that financial opportunities are available through carbon solutions with the creation of new markets and new jobs.

What is the role of youth in innovation and sustainability?

Hiu and Dan recognized today’s youth as tomorrow’s leaders. Hiu,Dan, and their organization, 51Sim, are dedicated to transforming creative youths into innovative leaders, transforming the digital world into the real world, and transforming environmental challenges into opportunities. 51Sim’s projects, like SISC, 51Tree, and Kaiche. function as online platforms that embrace the imagination and voices of the youth, unite them as more than an online community, but citizens of the world with responsibilities to each other, and abet their ability to impact the environment in a positive manner. Whether it’s focusing on car emissions, trees, or global warming, youth can come together to develop their environmental ideas, gain information about their personal effect on the environment, and contribute to the environment in positive ways as they play online.

What do you think is the single-most important action youth can take in their daily lives to promote change?

Hiu and Dan expressed the belief that the single most important action youth can take to promote change is a change in their perspective. Transforming attitudes and remodeling lifestyles accordingly is the most effective sustainable solution to climate change.

How is COP15 perceived in China?

They were both eager to speak about China’s enthusiastic approach to COP15. No matter what the outcome of the negotiations, COP15 raised awareness and inspired youth all over China. 51Sim was able to further the awareness of COP15 in China with a press conference attended by more than 100 young people, who were given the opportunity to ask Maurice Strong questions. Hiu and Dan with 51Sim were also excited to give the winners of SISC the opportunity to attend COP15, engage in a global community dedicated to making environmental changes, and witness the historic event. By empowering and involving the youth they believe COP15 can be the start of a new future, with not only policy changes, but a new role for the youth. Through events like the SISC prize and the conference51Sim hosted, Hiu and Dan were confident in the energy and attitude of Chinese youth in regard to COP15.

What do you think China’s role has to be while dealing with climate change?

Hiu and Dan commented that China, as the world’s largest carbon emitter has a lot of responsibility in regards to climate change. It has economic pressures, environmental pressures, and responsibility to developing nations to mitigate. They also suggested that while COP15 and the media have emphasized the negotiations between China and America, regardless of the American position, China must pursue its own efforts and make its own decisions about the twelfth and thirteenth five-year plans. Hiu and Dan both expressed great support for Carbon targets, which send clear signals for policy adjustments and help build a carbon market.

What is China’s position in the Climate Change negotiation at COP15?

Hiu and Dan said that China’s core negotiating principles were, “one target, two main channels, three principles, four consensus.”

The target is a global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius, or atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of less than 450ppm.

The two main channels are The 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

The 3 main principals are:

• “common but differentiated responsibilities”
• “fair”
• “sustainable development.” The “sustainable development” principle addresses the developing countries’ concerns that efforts to address climate change will not interfere with their economic development and poverty eradication efforts.

The four consensus is:

• Developed countries must commit to quantified mid-term emission reduction obligations because of their historical emissions and current high per capita emissions.
• Developing countries should undertake efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change in as aggressive manner as their national conditions and funding and technology transfers from developed countries permit.
• Developed countries should provide financial support to developing countries;
• Effective institutional arrangements should be devised to promote technology transfers to developing countries to enhance their capacity to address climate change issues.

What are China’s actions on mitigation?

Hiu and Dan mentioned three sources of mitigation actions in particular:

1. Hu Jintao recently unveiled a target commitment on reducing carbon dioxide per unit of GDP at the UN General Assembly in New York.
2. The country has set in place its targets under the eleventh five-year plan (2005-2010) to cut energy usage per unit of GDP by 20% on 2005 levels by 2010.
3. Further efforts on energy saving and emissions reduction will be included in the twelfth and thirteenth five-year plans.

On Friday December 11th, Hiu Ng and Daniel Foa Co - founders and directors of 51Sim (Sustainable Innovation Movement) and 51Give discussed environmental solutions at COP15 to an audience of over a hundred activists and leaders in the international environmental field. Daniel spoke live at the Bella Center, the heart of COP15, Hiu Ng spoke live from Beijing via live video feed, and 51Sim ambassador, Former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, Maurice Strong delivered a recorded address to the audience.

Hiu Ng and Daniel Foa recognized the challenges inherent in facing climate change for the world and China in particular. They emphasized that while it is important political leaders create the infrastructure for making environmental changes, individuals must also take responsibility. COP15 demonstrates the complexity of the situation for leaders all around the world. They alone cannot solve climate change, but the awareness COP15 has brought to the public may provide the solution. Hiu and Dan stressed that it is not only the public, but the youth we must support as we search for innovative solutions. Hiu eloquently expressed this encouragement saying,

“China’s young students are tomorrow’s leaders! I would like to congratulate them all from the bottom of my heart and encourage them to continue nurturing innovative ideas and to keep on protecting the environment.”

Hiu and Dan’s hope and support for the next generation and their role in making environmental changes is expressed not only in their words, but through 51Sim’s Sustainable Innovation Student Competition (SISC). 51Sim, designed, organized, and hosted SISC, a competitive program designed to encourage students all over the world to develop innovative proposals for sustainable solutions to alleviate climate change. Teams from universities all over China pitched their business plans to a panel of expert judges in 3 categories, Green Transport, Energy Efficiency, and Renewable Energy, in order to receive funding for their projects and travel to COP15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2009. The vision, spirit, and commitment the students demonstrated throughout the competition was inspiring. The students exemplified the youth’s ability to combat climate change and their dedication to this battle, as it is their future. The competition demonstrated Hiu, Dan, and 51Sim’s confidence that supporting these remarkable individuals and their innovative projects is the first step toward a sustainable future.

Hiu and Dan’s presentation introduced the voices of China and the Chinese youth to the halls of the Bella Center and the minds and hearts of the negotiators and activists flooding Copenhagen.

Hiu and Dan’s presentation was followed by a pre-recorded message from 51Sim ambassador, Maurice Strong. Maurice Strong, on behalf of 51Sim emphasized his concern about pressing environmental challenges, commitment to finding solutions, and belief the youth are essential to the world’s environmental future. Maurice, who is interrupted throughout the film by the hopeful voices of the 51Sim SISC winners, expresses the utmost confidence in them and firm belief it is the older generation’s responsibility to support them. Watch it!

Together Daniel Foa, Hiu Ng, and Maruice Strong on behalf of 51Sim emphasized that COP15 is about more than leaders, it is about individuals taking action and empowering the youth.

This Sunday, December 13th, Daniel Foa, Co-Founder and Director of 51Sim had the pleasure of traveling by boat from Copenhagen Newport Pier to the Middelgrunden Wind Farm outside Copenhagen, in the company of 51Sim ’s celebrity ambassador, Li Bingbing and the students who recently won 51Sim ’s SISC competition.

"This is indeed a very memorable experience," said Li Bingbing.

The 51Sim team, with ambassador Li Bingbing, attended a three hour tour to Middelgrunden Wind Farm, one of 11 off-shore wind farms scattered along the Danish coastline. Middelgrunden was built in 2001 and is one of the world’s major off-shore plants, providing 3% of Copenhagen’s electricity. The tour boat circled Middelgrunden’s 20 turbines and made visible 100 Swedish turbines spinning in the distance.

The turbines they saw were 100 meters tall and 76 meters wide and produce 2 MWh per hour,  enough energy for about 35,000 households.

Wind power is becoming an important aspect of COP15 and the future of renewable energy. More than 350 wind industry leaders are participating in COP15 and helping bring wind power to the forefront of negotiations. GWEC Secretary General, Steve Sawyer, recently said, “Wind power will play a key role in combating climate change.” With the potential to save as much as 10bn tons of CO2 by 2020, wind power is a promising step, the 51Sim team and ambassador, Li Bingbing, were excited to learn about and eager to support.

The wind power industry in Denmark is particularly exciting as it is a paradigm of how renewable energy can provide for the environment and the economy. It has decreased CO2, while increasing jobs. The wind power industry in Denmark started after the first oil crisis in the 1970s. Denmark needed domestic solutions to foreign fossil fuel dependence as well as an economic boost and they turned to wind power. Now, Denmark is the first country where wind power is 20% of the electricity and in 10 years could be 50%. Denmark has 5,100 wind turbines total —- 78% of which are onshore, 22% offshore -— contributing to 20% of Danish electricity production. More than 90% of all offshore wind turbines worldwide come from Danish companies, causing wind turbine production to be a staple to the Danish economy.

The Danish wind power industry offers hope as the backdrop of the COP15 conference and countries around the world are starting to follow their example. Wind power is present in more than 70 countries. There are wind projects with the potential of 33,000 MW together under construction, 22,000 of which are in China. By 2020, China plans to install wind-power equipment capable of generating nearly five times the power of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest producer. Not only is China fostering so many wind projects, but China is using the most efficient transmission lines, progress that has not been utilized in many developed countries like the U.S.

The efficacy of wind power was demonstrated in 1990, when California’s wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of C02, and 15 million pounds of other pollutants. The impact of China’s wind power investment is exciting, if California could accomplish so much, so quickly.

51Sim is excited to help as China moves forward with its wind power plans, stimulating environmental and economic change. Daniel Foa, Li Bingbing, and the students were inspired by the success of this renewable energy industry, had a wonderful time on the boat, and along with 51Sim are eager to pursue wind power as a renewable energy source.