Chinadialogue.net
Encyclopedia
Chinadialogue.net is an independent, non-profit organisation based in London, Beijing and San Francisco. It was launched on July 3, 2006. Chinadialogue is funded by a range of institutional supporters, including several major charitable foundations.
It focuses on the environment
, especially in China
, although it has an interest in environment and sustainability
issues around the world.
It features articles by Chinese and non-Chinese authors from a variety of perspectives. These include an interview with former US vice-president Al Gore
and Chinese economist Hu Angang
. Other contributors include Pan Yue
who was named New Statesman
Person of the Year 2007 and a rising figure in Chinese government circles who is championing a green China, and Ma Jun
a leading Chinese environmentalist named by Time
magazine as one of its 100 most important people in 2006.
It has adopted a web 2.0
approach, which gives user-generated comment a key place in the site, and sees the use of RSS feeds, Creative Commons
material, and news briefs and links collected from varied sources across the net.
Its tagline is "China and the world discuss the environment".
BBC Radio 4
's Sheena McDonald
said on the Talking Politics programme on December 23, 2006, that the site was the only fully bilingual website in English and Chinese focusing on the environment in the world. She interviewed editor Isabel Hilton
, who at the time was also editor of openDemocracy
, who said that the aim of the site was to foster a dialogue which might otherwise be defeated by language barriers.
It shares a similarity in construction and ethos with China Digital Times
, which is run by the China Internet Project
at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley
.
, Ma Jun
, Professor Pan Jiahua, Lord Patten of Barnes, Professor Orville Schell
, Sir Crispin Tickell, Professor Wang Canfa
and Professor Wang Ming.
It focuses on the environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, especially in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, although it has an interest in environment and sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
issues around the world.
It features articles by Chinese and non-Chinese authors from a variety of perspectives. These include an interview with former US vice-president Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and Chinese economist Hu Angang
Hu Angang
Hu Angang is an economics professor at Tsinghua University.Hu Angang was born on April 27, 1953 in Anshan, Liaoning Province, China. He is a professor in the School of Public Policy & Management at Tsinghua University as well as Director of the Center for China Study at Tsinghua-CAS .Hu Angang...
. Other contributors include Pan Yue
Pan Yue
Pan Yue was born in 1960 in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, is one of the Vice Ministers for the Ministry of Environmental Protection in China.-Biography:...
who was named New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
Person of the Year 2007 and a rising figure in Chinese government circles who is championing a green China, and Ma Jun
Ma Jun (environmentalist)
Ma Jun is a Chinese environmentalist, non-fiction writer, environmental consultant, and journalist. He is a director with the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs ....
a leading Chinese environmentalist named by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine as one of its 100 most important people in 2006.
It has adopted a web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
approach, which gives user-generated comment a key place in the site, and sees the use of RSS feeds, Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
material, and news briefs and links collected from varied sources across the net.
Its tagline is "China and the world discuss the environment".
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Sheena McDonald
Sheena McDonald
Sheena Elizabeth McDonald is a British journalist and broadcaster.- Education :She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1976 before gaining a postgraduate certificate in radio, film and television studies from the University of Bristol. Whilst at university in Edinburgh, she had a...
said on the Talking Politics programme on December 23, 2006, that the site was the only fully bilingual website in English and Chinese focusing on the environment in the world. She interviewed editor Isabel Hilton
Isabel Hilton
Isabel Nancy Hilton OBE is a Scottish journalist and broadcaster based in London.-Biography:She was educated at Edinburgh University where she studied Chinese to post-graduate level...
, who at the time was also editor of openDemocracy
OpenDemocracy
openDemocracy is a website for debate about international politics and culture, offering news and opinion articles from established academics, journalists and policymakers covering current issues in world affairs. openDemocracy was founded in 2000 by Anthony Barnett, David Hayes, Susan Richards and...
, who said that the aim of the site was to foster a dialogue which might otherwise be defeated by language barriers.
It shares a similarity in construction and ethos with China Digital Times
China Digital Times
China Digital Times is a bilingual "collaborative news website covering China’s social and political transition and its emerging role in the world," according to the site's About page...
, which is run by the China Internet Project
China Internet Project
The Berkeley China Internet Project is a participatory media and research network, with a focus on how the Internet affects China's media and politics...
at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Mission statement
China is growing fast and, as it grows, it is faced with urgent environmental challenges. Environmental costs may account for 10 per cent of China's GDP and the effects of pollution, desertification and climate change are already beginning to be felt within China and outside her borders. Climate change, species loss, pollution, water scarcity and environment damage are not problems confined to one country: they are challenges that concern all the world's citizens, but the rise of China gives them a new urgency. Tackling these challenges will require a common effort and common understanding. Here at chinadialogue we aim to promote that common understanding. By establishing the world's first fully bilingual website devoted to the environment we aim to promote direct dialogue and the search for solutions to our shared environmental challenges.Board members
The members of the chinadialogue Editorial Advisory Board are: Professor Mark Elvin, Caspar HendersonCaspar Henderson
Caspar Henderson is a journalist and writer living in Oxford, England.He was educated at Westminster School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge....
, Ma Jun
Ma Jun (environmentalist)
Ma Jun is a Chinese environmentalist, non-fiction writer, environmental consultant, and journalist. He is a director with the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs ....
, Professor Pan Jiahua, Lord Patten of Barnes, Professor Orville Schell
Orville Schell
Orville Hickock Schell III is an activist and writer working on China, and is the Arthus Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York...
, Sir Crispin Tickell, Professor Wang Canfa
Wang Canfa
Wang Canfa is a Chinese professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, and the founder and director of the Beijing-based Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims ....
and Professor Wang Ming.
External links
- chinadialogue 中国与世界，环境危机大家谈
- China Digital Times announces chinadialogue's launch
- Al Gore interview with chinadialogue covered on danwei.org
- 人民网就全球变暖问题采访"中外对话"总编伊莎贝尔 ·希尔顿 Transcript of China Central Television interview with editor Isabel Hilton
- Salon.com covers chinadialogue article
- China water pollution map at the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs
- Chinadialogue on Time Magazine blog