Distinguished guests and the host on the rostrum (from left to right): Gao Guangsheng, John Beale, Liang Jiakun, Xie Zhenhua, Clark Randt, Bindu Lohani, Dina W. Kruger, Huang Shengchu.

Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reforms Commission (NDRC), attends the opening ceremony and delivers his speech.

Mr. Liang Jiakun, Vice Minister of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), attends the opening ceremony and delivers his speech.

Mr. Clark Randt, US Ambassador to China, is present at the opening ceremony and gives his remarks.

Mr. John Beale, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency presents at the opening ceremony and gives his speech.

Mr. Huang Shengchu, president of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), is present at the opening ceremony and gives his special report.

Mr. Bindu Lohani, Vice Governor of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is present at the opening ceremony and gives his remarks.
　

A total of 834 participants from 34 countries are present at the conference, of which more than 450 are foreign participants.

“Methane to Markets Partnership Expo” was held in China World Hotel in Beijing 30 October ~ 1 November 2007. A total of more than 800 participants from China and foreign countries participated in this international conference approved by Vice Premiere Mr. Zeng Peiyan and State Councilor Mr. Tang Jiaxuan. Sponsored by the National Development and Reforms Commission （NDRC） of P.R.C. and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Methane to Markets Partnership Expo was organized by China Coal Information Institute (CCII). The conference is regarded a grand occasion. This is the first Expo ever held since the “Methane to Markets Partnership Ministerial Meeting” held in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. in November 2004.

Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reforms Commission (NDRC), Mr. Liang Jiakun, Vice Minister of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), Mr. Clark Randt, the US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Bindu Lohani, Vice Governor of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Mr. John Beale, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were present at the opening ceremony and delivered their remarks. Also present at the opening ceremony were Mr. Huang Shengchu, Ph.D., President of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), Mr. Gao Guangsheng, Vice Chief of the Climate Change Office of the National Development and Reforms Commission, Ms. Dina W. Kruger, Director of the Climate Change Division of the USEPA and officials and leaders of the relevant Chinese government departments and companies such as the State Administration of Work Safety, the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Construction, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) as well as leaders of China Coal Information Institute (CCII) Mr. Dou Qingfeng, Mr. Zhang Wenshan and Mr. Dong Ruilin, etc. A total of more than 830 participants from 34 countries were present at the conference, of which more than 450 were foreign participants. This conference focused on the topics of methane recovery/extraction in the sectors of coal, city waste treatment, petroleum oil and natural gas and agriculture, etc. Governmental departments and business companies from 13 countries presented their exhibits at a total of 65 stands on the Expo. Also presented on this Expo were a total of 88 methane development, utilization and investment projects.

Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister of NDRC, pointed out in his speech that climate change was an environmental issue on the one hand and also a development issue on the other. However, it was after all an issue of development. Xie said Climate change arised from development and it was surely to be solved with the realization of sustainable development. Mr. Xie Zhenhua emphasized that the Chinese government had long been attaching great importance to the problem of climate change and taking on a responsible attitude towards this issue. This was explained by the fact that the Chinese government had publicized “China’s State Program in Response of Climate Change” which clearly specifies the concrete target, fundamental principals, major sectors, relevant policies and countermeasures of the Chinese government confronting climate change by the year 2010. Xie Zhenhua said it was also declared by this document that China’s national total coalbed/coal mine methane extraction would reach 10.0 billion m3 by 2010 and that management over animal wastes, waste water and solid wastes would be intensified and efforts would be focused on strengthening methane utilization for the purpose of controlling the increasing methane emission. Xie Zhenhua said that the Chinese government supported the “Methane to Markets Partnership Program” and had been participating in the various activities of this program, which was explained by China’s initializing a series of very meaningful projects in a total of four fields such as in the sectors of coalbed/coal mine methane, methane gas produced from garbage, agricultural methane and petroleum/natural gas. As the first international conference and exposition ever held since the initialization of international methane to markets cooperation program, this conference definitely facilitated the technical cooperation and exchanges among different countries in the field of methane emission reduction, quickening the pace of methane extraction and utilization project development and setting up new mode of collaboration and development mechanism in this field. All these are aimed at promoting global sustainable development for a better protected common homeland of the mankind.

Mr. Liang Jiakun, Vice Minister of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) pointed out in his remarks that the extraction and utilization of coalbed methane and coal mine methane would facilitate coal mine safety and increase cleaner energy supply and hence contributed to global environmental protection. To this end, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) put forward the strategy of “methane extraction in advance of coal mining” and had been popularizing the methane combating idea of “methane utilization to stimulate methane extraction, which is to ensure coal mine safety”. Mr. Liang Jiakun also said that to turn the coalbed methane and coal mine methane combating strategy and philosophy into reality, the State Administration of Work Safety was now working hand in hand with the National Development and Reforms Commission and some other relevant governmental authorities in preparing encouraging policies. So far, tangible achievements had been produced in promoting the development and utilization of coalbed methane and coal mine methane in this country, which was regarded substantial contribution to the target of methane emission reduction. Mr. Liang Jiakun stressed that the project of methane to markets partnership, together with its series of activities and projects, would surely exert very positive influence on improvement in coal mine safety and reduction of coal mine methane emission. He also said that the “Methane to Markets Partnership Expo” would definitely facilitate the cooperation and exchanges between China and the developed countries in the field of methane emission reduction. He also said that this occasion also allowed China to have more accesses for necessary funding and technical support to speed up the coal mine methane extraction and utilization project development in this country. Mr. Liang Jiakun concluded by saying that an intensified international cooperation would not only upgrade the overall industrial standard of China’s coal mine methane industry, but would also create an improved safety environment for numerous coal mines in this country. After the conference, Mr. Liang Jiakun, Vice Minister of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) visited the exhibition accompanied by leading officials of relevant departments of the SAWS and Mr. Huang Shengchu, President of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), Mr. Dou Qingfeng, Mr. Dong Ruilin and Mr. Wang Hao. They highly appraised the excellent organizing efforts for this conference for the participation by high ranking officials.

In the capacity of the Vice President of the Coal Sub-committee, Dr. Huang Shengchu, President of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), participated in the special seminar on coal on which he also presented his special report entitled “Coalbed methane development and utilization in China: status-quo and the latest development”.

This conference remained in the center of public attention and was widely covered by the media. At the news conference given on 31 October, Mr. John Beale，Deputy Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Huang Shengchu, Ph.D., President of China Coal Information Institute, Mr. Gao Guangsheng, Chief of the Climate Change Office of the National Development and Reforms Commission, answered the questions raised by the reporters. China Daily, China’s most important state-owned English edition newspaper, covered this conference on its first page. Also present at the news conference were reporters from more than 30 well know news agencies around the world e.g. People’s Daily (Overseas Edition), China Daily, Economic Daily, Caijing Magazine, China Coal News, Chinese Journal of Environment, Chinese Petroleum Gazette, the Associated Press, the Reuters Press, Bloomberg News, Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal, etc. The activities during this conference, the major achievements and significance of this conference were reported in details on the newspapers, magazines and web-sites of the media mentioned above.

During the process of this conference, Methane to Markets Partnership Planning and Steering Committee meetings and sub-committee meetings on 4 sectors were also held for discussion about the planning for the next-step activity under the international methane to markets partnership program.

Ms. Dina W. Kruger, Director of the Climate Change Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency, gives her round-up report on the Steering Committee meeting.

Mr. Dou Qingfeng, the First Vice President of CCII
and officials of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS)
 are present at the conference.

Mr Liang Jiakun, Mr. Xie Zhenghua, and Mr. Clark Randt and etc. are meeting in the VIP Hall

Accompanied by the leaders of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), Mr. Liang Jiakun, Vice Minister of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) visits the exhibition and has a photo taken in front of the CCII booth.

Mr. John Beale, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency and Mr. Gao Guangsheng, Chief of the Climate Chang Office of the National Development and Reforms Commission, visit the exhibition.

Gusts have cordial talks with each other during break.

More than 80 methane development and investment projects from various countries are on show at the conference.

Venue of the coal sub-meeting.

Venue of the petroleum oil/natural gas sub-meeting.

Venue of the agriculture sub-meeting.

Venue of the city waste sub-meeting.

International Methane to Markets Partnership Program Steering Committee meeting in session.

The Coal Sub-committee meeting is co-chaired by Dr. Huang Shengchu, President of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), Dr. Pamela M. Franklin, Director of Coalbed Methane Outreach Program of the Climate Change Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Mr. Subrata Chaudhuri, Manager and Director of the Central Mine Planning & Design Institute of India.

Mr. John Beale, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Gao Guangsheng, Chief of the Climate Chang Office of the National Development and Reforms Commission and Mr. Huang Shengchu, President of China Coal Information Institute (CCII), are seen to respond to the questions from the reporters at the news conference.

Conference Hall of the China World Hotel