Workshop of interim on ecological footprint in China was opened in Cui Ming Zhuang Hotel, Beijing, on January 25, 2008. Nearly 40 scholars from home and abroad and 10 officers from Embassy and international institution in China attended the workshop. Ecological Footprint in China is a joint project donated by CCICED (China Council of International Corporation on Environment and Development) and WWF China Program Office. The interim report of the project has been finished by Global Footprint Network (GFN) and Institute of Geographical Science and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), CAS recently.

After Justin Kitzes from International Author Team (GFN) introduced the background, conception and methodology of ecological footprint and main conclusion of this report, Prof. Shengkui CHENG from Chinese Author Team (IGSNRR), presented the research processing of ecological footprint in China and the main conclusion of this report and some suggestions to cope with the environmental degradation in China.

The CCICED Chief Advisor Guofang SHEN, Arthur Hanson, and distinguished external experts gave some constructive comments. Some common grounds are reached: ① ecological footprint is a effective tool to measure the impact of demand of mankind on ecosystem. ② although per capital ecological footprint in China is low, total footprint is huge and the increase rate fast. China presents an ecological deficit from 1980’s. ③ mankind have consumed 1.25 planet at present, biocapacity declined while ecological footprint and eco-deficit extended continually. All countries including China have no choice but reduction consumption, improving resource and energy efficiency from government, enterprise to individual.

By Zengrang XU, Research Center for Resources Science