UNSW continues to facilitate uptake of innovation by the Environmental Protection Industry in China


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Professor David Waite, a foreign member of National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Scientia Professor of UNSW Sydney, Executive Director and CEO of UNSW Centre for Transformational Environmental Technologies (CTET), was invited to attend the "2018 International Conference on New technology for Ecology and Environment" and "The 6th China Environmental Technical & Industrial Development Summit 2018" and to provide a plenary speech.


Background Information: International Conference on New technology for Ecology and Environment

In order to fulfil the Chinese government and party's requirements of ecological stewardship and to facilitate the development of the environmental industry, the "2018 International Conference on New Technology for Ecology and Environment" was held in Nanjing from 22nd October to 23rd October, 2018. This conference was hosted by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MoEE) and the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government and organised by the Department of Science, Technology, and Finance of MoEE and the Jiangsu Environmental Protection Department. Yixing Industrial Park for Environmental Science & Technology (ES&TP) together with many excellent enterprises located in ES&TP attended the conference and hosted a special forum, discussing environmental issues, including air, water and solid waste, cleaning of polluted rivers, soil and ecological remediation and environment monitoring, with Chinese and international leading talents in environmental protection industry.

A glance at the conference

ES&TP Booth Area


Invited by the organising committee, Professor Waite gave a speech entitled “From Technology to Application – Recent Developments in Electrochemical technology for Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery”. He used electrochemical treatment technology as an example and explained how technology could be successfully developed and commercialised in a real market based on his splendid experience in development and commercialisation in the past decades. 

The 2018 International Conference on New technology for Ecology and Environment aimed to facilitate discussion on the development of technologies among government, enterprises, universities and research facilities via means, such as keynote speeches, summit dialogues, exchanges and communication, professional forums, etc. Through the conference, ES&TP and enterprises located in the park have enhanced the interaction and cooperation with Chinese and international enterprises and experts in the field of environmental protection, and have promoted the upgrading and transformation of environmental protection industry.


Background Information: the 6th China Environmental Technical & Industrial Development Summit 2018

The 6th China Environmental Technical & Industrial Development Summit 2018, that was hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), co-organised by Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, Wuxi Municipal People's Government, and organised by Yixing Municipal People's Government and Yixing ES&TP was held in Yixing on 24th October. The theme of this conference was "Innovation Boost, Green Development which had the support of many facilities and groups, including Jiangsu Productivity Promotion Centre, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, ISO/TC282/SC4, the China Association of Environmental Protection Industry, the China Environment Service Industry Association, the Division of Water Environment and Division of Water Ecology, the Chinese Society for Urban Studies, China Desalination, Water Equipment Alliance, the Environmental Protection Equipment Industry Technology Innovation Centre, Yujing, etc.

The 6th China Environmental Technical & Industrial Development Summit 2018


Chinese and international experts in the field of environmental protection, including Professor Jiuhui Qu, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Professor David Waite, a foreign member of National Academy of Engineering, gathered together with organisations, research facilities, representatives of related enterprises and leaders from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Wuxi and Yixing Municipal Governments. They exchanged ideas, shared experiences, and discussed the future pathway of the development of environmental protection innovations and the industry.

 Professor David Waite (the first right)

During the conference, Professor David Waite presented a keynote speech titled "The Localisation of Australian Advanced Environmental Protection Technologies and their R&D and Promotion". He expressed his interest in the development prospects of environmental technology from a global perspective. In the past 40 years, Professor David Waite has contributed significantly to the field of Environmental Chemistry, and his contribution has made his highly reputable on an international scale. Professor Waite used how membrane capacitive deionisation (mCDI) technology was transformed in China as an example to introduce the development prospects of the technology and its application in China.

At the same time, Professor David Waite introduced UNSW Centre for Transformational Environmental Technologies (CTET), which is co-funded by UNSW Sydney and the Yixing Industrial Park for Environmental Science and Technology (ES&TP) and its brief history. He asserted that the positive developing trend of the environmental protection industries in China, the impact of Jiangsu’s policy, and the demonstration effect of innovations and transformation in Yixing ES&TP will influence and facilitate the transformation and upgrading of environmental protection technologies in China and overseas.

Professor David Waite

This year environmental protection industry has faced many issues including financing, government restriction on public-private partnership (PPP) projects and increased strictness of policies related to environmental protection. However, the conference signified positive news, and imparted knowledge upon each guest attending. The China Environmental Technical & Industrial Development Summit’s goal is to provide better service for the development and transformation of environmental protection in China, and the progress of ecological civilisation.

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