CECHAP welcomed Ren Peng, specialist in sustainability and Chinese NGOs
On October 29, 2025, Mr. Ren Peng delivered a lecture at Universidad del Pacífico titled “Going Global: China’s Environmental NGOs.” Mr. Ren serves as a Director at the Global Environmental Institute (GEI) in Beijing, leading projects related to foreign investment, trade, and sustainability in agricultural and forestry supply chains.
During his presentation, he analyzed the evolution of China’s role in global environmental governance, highlighting the promotion of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives aimed at raising sustainability standards in international investments and fostering greater engagement from the business sector, within the framework of South–South cooperation and the Green Belt and Road Initiative.
Mr. Ren also explained that Chinese NGOs actively participate in areas such as humanitarian aid, education, health, and environmental development. In this context, GEI focuses on applying market-based models and formulating policy recommendations to guide the investment decisions of Chinese companies operating abroad, in order to promote sustainable economic, social, and environmental development in the regions where they operate.
The presentation included case studies on international cooperation projects, such as initiatives in Myanmar aimed at promoting clean energy and social assistance in rural areas, as well as the collaboration between China and Brazil on sustainable agriculture, which seeks to strengthen traceability and sustainability across agricultural supply chains.
Mr. Ren also reviewed the evolution of China’s environmental guidelines from 2007 to 2022. He also discussed the challenges faced by NGOs, such as the lack of solid regulatory and financial frameworks, and highlighted opportunities such as strengthening national strategies, diversifying funding sources, promoting volunteer training, and supporting pilot projects in regions with high biodiversity.
At CECHAP, we promote these dialogues, which contribute to understanding China’s role in the global environmental governance and encourage academic exchange on sustainability and international cooperation in emerging countries.
