14 December 2016 (GEN): A partnership between the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and the Sunshine Ecovillage Network (SEN), has been growing in the past year in China, since the first Ecovillage Forum organised by SEN took place in October 2015, drawing around 500 interested participants. Ecovillage Design Education courses have also been run in China, and many young Chinese have participated in ecovillage training.

In April and October 2016, GEN Consultancy completed its first work in China, with training sessions facilitated by Kosha Joubert, Robin Alfred, Dorota Owen and Albert Bates all offering distinct perspectives and expertise on ecovillage solutions. One of the sessions was arranged for government representatives of the Songyang district, whose Party Committee’s Secretary, expressed interest in exploring the transition of 70 of the most beautiful traditional villages of China to ecovillages.

The 2nd International Ecovillage Forum was held in Hangzhou, the capital of the Zhejiang province and a well-known tourism destination, on October 22nd and 23rd, 2016, organised by the Sunshine Ecovillage Network, in partnership with the Global Ecovillage Network. It brought together delegates from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Europe, and the USA.The event drew over 400 people: students, social entrepreneurs, teachers, NGOs, farmers and members of existing ecovillages, amongst many others. GEN was represented by Kosha Joubert, Robin Alfred and Albert Bates. Local Futures* was represented by Anja Lyngbaeck and GEN and Local Futures are happy to announce a growing collaboration.

There are currently only a handful of existing intentional ecovillages in China, but there is a growing interest in transforming existing traditional villages into sustainable ecovillages. The Sunshine Ecovillage Network has set an ambitious target of 100 ecovillages by 2020. 

At the Hangzhou Forum, representatives from more than 30 traditional villages signed collaborative agreements with the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), and the Sunshine Ecovillage Network (SEN), with the aim of transforming their villages into ecovillages. The Chinese government is not directly involved but looks favourably upon the ecovillage concept. While China continues its policy of industrialisation and urbanisation, there is, in parallel to this, a growing sense of awareness about the importance environmental conservation. China reportedly played a constructive role at COP22 in Marrakech, stepping in as the delegates digested the result of the US election and the possibility that the United States may be pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. 

This report, edited by the ECOCLUB.com Team, is based on an original announcement posted at the GEN Website