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EU-China Think Tank Dialogue
Advancing Nature-based Solutions and Ecological Restoration

From May 19 to 23, 2025, the third delegation visit under the EU-China Think Tank Engagement on Green Governance Project took place in Belgium and the Netherlands. Organized by the Hanns Seidel Foundation, with participation from think tanks affiliated with China’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), namely the Consulting and Research Center (CRC), and the Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center (LCRC), as well as the Mangrove Conservation Foundation and the NbS Innovation Center of Peking University, and funded by the European Union.

Focusing on the theme of “Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecological Restoration”, the delegation brought together European and Chinese think tank experts, researchers, practitioners and policy makers to discuss policy approaches to advance Nature-based Solutions and to share best practices of ecological protection and restoration from both sides, exploring potentials of synergies and deepen collaboration between the two regions.

Meeting with the European Environmental Bureau

Meeting with the European Environmental Bureau

From May 19 to May 23, the delegation met with key stakeholders and had in-depth exchange on green governance topics, such as NbS and biodiversity financing, climate adaptive planning, restoration of mining sites.

Key events included:

  • A meeting with the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), where participants had exchanges on EU’s circular economy policies and EEB’s advocacy efforts in the EU, and explored synergies between civil society, policy think tanks, and government stakeholders.
Exchange with the Institute for European Environmental Policy

Exchange with the Institute for European Environmental Policy

  • An exchange with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), focusing on NbS implementation in Belgium, the role of biodiversity credits in leveraging private financing in biodiversity protection.
     
  • A policy dialogue was held at the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission, focusing on nature and ecosystem restoration, as well as Nature-based Solutions (NbS). During the dialogue, a member of the Chinese delegation presented recent progress and practical experiences from China’s NbS projects. Policy officers from DG Environment commended the projects for their high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and significant impact in mitigating flood risks and other extreme weather events associated with climate change. Additionally, EU officials shared that the European Union has recently adopted a standardized format for all member states to submit their national nature restoration plans by 2027.
Round-table discussion at HSF Brussels Office

Round-table discussion at HSF Brussels Office

  • A meeting at the Commission of Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) of the European Committee of the Regions (ECoR), where the delegation learned about the ECoR’s consultative role in the EU legislative process and its work supporting cities and regions in the EU’s climate-neutrality goals. The conversation highlighted principle of subsidiarity in EU’s policy making processes, and multilevel stakeholder engagement.
Local NGO representative explaining the mining site ecological restoration process of Terhills, Genk, Beigium.

Local NGO representative explaining the mining site ecological restoration process of Terhills, Genk, Beigium.

  • A round-table discussion at Hanns Seidel Foundation Brussels Office, "Green Governance – How China and the EU Reconcile Sustainability and Competitiveness". Experts from the European Commission’s DG CLIMA and the Consulting and Research Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China shared insights on the implementation, progress, and future outlooks of the EU Green Deal and China’s Ecological Civilization thinking. The session concluded with a moderated discussion on how the EU and China can learn from one another in addressing shared global challenges, including the climate crisis and increasing geopolitical uncertainty. 
     
  • A site visit to the Hoge Kempen National Park and C-mine in Genk, Belgium to see ecological restoration of former mining sites. The guided tour featured local NGO representative explaining the history of the region, how the local government decided to stop mining in the 1990s and chose to transform the area into a national park, and showcased scientific experiments being carried out on site, simulating the effects of climate change to local vegetations.
Exchanges with IHS Erasmus University Rotterdam

Exchanges with IHS Erasmus University Rotterdam

  • An exchange with the Institute of Housing and Urban Development (IHS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, centered around the concept and characteristics of NbS, and best practices in the Netherlands in the past decades, showcasing the Dutch experience of coastal land reclamation while maintaining biodiversity.
     
  • A meeting with representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, the Clingendael Institute, and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The discussion focused on ongoing Sino-Dutch cooperation in climate action and the green transition. Participants shared insights into the role of the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning and elaborated on the Dutch government’s recently updated China strategy. A lively discussion arose on the issues and policy decisions in the area of the use of spatial planning in the face of climate change and related sustainable decisions. Encouragingly, both sides affirmed that China and the Netherlands continue to enjoy a strong and constructive relationship on green governance issues.
Meeting at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Meeting at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Participating Institutions

The Chinese delegation included experts from:

  • Consulting and Research Center (CRC), MNR
  • Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center (LCRC), MNR
  • Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF)
  • NbS Innovation Center, Peking University

European partners and hosts included:

  • European Commission DG ENV
  • European Committee of the Regions
  • Institute for European Environmental Policies
  • Hanns Seidel Foundation Brussels Office
  • European Environmental Bureau
  • Institute of Housing and Urban Development (IHS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • The Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands
  • The Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning of the Netherlands
  • The Enterprise Agency of the Netherlands
  • Clingendael
  • IUCN Netherlands

Project Introduction

The EU-China Think Tank Engagement on Green Governance Project aims to promote regular Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues between Chinese and European think tanks, enhancing mutual understanding, facilitating policy exchange and development, and supporting bilateral cooperation in the field of global green governance. With continued delegation exchanges and joint research activities, this visit marks a further deepening of cooperation between EU and Chinese think tanks in the areas of climate, energy, and environment.

 Stay tuned for more updates from the project!