By Li Han
Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center
Mr. Lester Brown, President of The Earth Policy Institute, delivered a speech on May 29 to The Tsinghua Forum, entitled “Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble—China Forcing World to Rethink its Economic Future.” In his 90-minute speech, Mr. Brown stressed the importance of achieving an environmentally sustainable economy. He also discussed renewable energy resources, global poverty, and environmental protection.
After the speech, Mr. Brown participated in a round-table discussion on environmental protection and sustainable development in China. He answered questions from teachers and students who participated in the round-table.
“Mr Brown’s speech widened our understanding of environment protection and sustainable development,” said Lu Wei, a boy from the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering.
Tsinghua Vice President Chen Jining met with Mr. Brown after the round-table discussion.
Lester Brown has been described by the Washington Post as "one of the world's most influential thinkers." The Telegraph of Calcutta called him "the guru of the global environmental movement." In May 2001, he founded The Earth Policy Institute, where he now serves as President. The purpose of The Earth Policy Institute is to provide a vision of an environmentally sustainable economy, a roadmap of how to get from here to there, as well as an ongoing assessment of progress. Mr. Lester Brown is also a former MacArthur Fellow and the recipient of many prizes and awards, including the 1987 United Nations' Environment Prize and the 1989 World Wide Fund for Nature Gold Medal.
The Tsinghua Forum features speakers who address a wide range of topics, including science and technology, economics, and society and culture as they relate to the development of China and the world. The Tsinghua Forum convenes four times a year.
