IISD and CLMA sign partnership agreement to improve health of China’s Chao Lake

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WINNIPEG & BEIJING—October 23, 2014—The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Chao Lake Management Administration (CLMA) are pleased to announce that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance the sustainable development of Chao Lake to improve it and its basin’s health.

IISD and CLMA will combine their respective expertise in scientific research and policy analysis to develop a plan of water remediation for one of the world’s most endangered lakes. Points of collaboration will include research to determine causes of lake pollution, identifying biological lake remediation and water pollution technologies suitable for the lake, and capacity-building.

“This agreement reinforces the already strong link between Manitoba and Anhui, China,” said Greg Selinger, premier of Manitoba. “It builds on the memorandum of understanding that our province signed with Anhui in 2012 to expand economic opportunities, trade and investment, with particular focus on agriculture and bio-products.”

“IISD is proud to be collaborating with CLMA to help the process of water remediation in Chao Lake, sharing leading edge, innovative solutions to water contamination problems faced by virtually every country,” said Scott Vaughan, president and CEO of IISD. “One of the most exciting initiatives will be the establishment of a Chao Lake Research Institute, in which a group of international experts will provide technical consultation for the remediation and protection of the lake.” 

"The cooperation between the two parties has huge significance in referencing and introducing Canadian experiences in lake management and protection, as well as in introducing remediation solutions that fit Chao Lake's specific situation in order to promote the protection and management of the Chao Lake Basin,” said Yu Zhongyong, director of CLMA. “I hope we can work together to push forward the collaboration smoothly and bring about fruitful results."

Chao Lake is one of China’s five largest lakes, and is located in east China's Anhui province. In recent years the lake has been plagued by massive blue-green algal outbreaks, due to rising domestic and industrial waste entering the lake from burgeoning surrounding populations. Algal blooms, as a result of eutrophication, can lead to reduced water quality and deaths of wildlife populations.

IISD’s Water program is already involved in research and analysis of integrated water resources management and the use of innovative policies for nutrient management in the Lake Winnipeg Basin in Canada. IISD will be applying its innovative bioeconomy approaches used in Canada (that use natural systems to provide clean water, other public benefits and economic opportunities) to its work with Chao Lake. Its Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) conducted one of the most conclusive studies linking eutrophication (overloading of nutrients such as phosphorus) with algal blooms in freshwater, and continues to study the causes and effects of algal blooms.

Michael Zhao, IISD’s China representative and Xiaohong Tang, deputy director of CLMA signing the MOU.

Michael Zhao, IISD’s China representative and Xiaohong Tang, deputy director of CLMA shake hands after signing the MOU.

For more information please contact Sumeep Bath, IISD media and communications officer, at sbath@iisd.org or +1 (204) 958 7740.