The 7th IESD Board Meeting was held in Beijing on Nov. 11, 2010. Mr. Achim Steiner, Under-Secretary-General of UN and Executive Director of UNEP, Mr. Xiaoqing Wu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (MEP), Mr. Guoguang Zheng, Administrator of China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Mr. Jun Liu, Counsellor of the Department of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST), Mr. Jianmin Xu from Chinese National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC), Mr. Wei Meng, President of Chinese Academy of Environmental Science (AES), and Mr. Klaus Toepfer, the former Under-Secretary-General of UN and Executive Director of UNEP, etc. participated the meeting. Prof. Yongsheng Li, Executive Vice-President of Tongji University hosted a welcome banquet before the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Guangtao Wang, the IESD Board Chair and Chairman of Environment and Resource Protection Committee, National People’s Congress of China (CCPCC).

Prof. Jiang Wu, Dean of IESD and Vice-President of Tongji University, briefed the progress of IESD in 2010. The master and PhD education programs, the Sino-African water resource program and the sustainable community project in Chongming Island were underlined. Prof. Fengting Li, Deputy Dean of IESD, introduced 2011 working plan in to the board. Mr. Guangtao Wang suggested that IESD position itself a platform for training young students with open education mechanism and providing conditions for faculty and researchers to ensure high standard research. He also suggested to establish Private Equity Fund of Education in Environment for Sustainable Development and to launch Global Forum on Environment for Sustainable Development. The board members also agreed upon the proposal of adding Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, board director of Manegement of Bayer AG, into the board.

Board members held warm discussion about IESD reports. Mr. Achim Steiner, appreciated IESD’s efforts and contributions to African projects. He also supported the proposals of Mr. Guangtao Wang. Mr. Xiaoqing Wu, Mr. Guoguang Zheng, Mr. Jun Liu, Mr. Jianmin Xu, Mr. Wei Meng, and Mr. Klaus Toepfer all expressed their support to the proposals.

Consensus was achieved to develop the institute based mainly on Tongji University in a surefooted way. At the same time, the board members and related parties would provide support and assistance. Finally, Prof. Yongsheng Li summarized the meeting and expressed his hope and support about the future of IESD. He expressed his confidence in the first forum to be held on Jun. 5, 2011, the World Environment Day.