Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment, shakes hands with Dong Wenjun, Vice-President of Sina Weibo, after signing the strategic partnership at UN Environment Assembly. (Provided to China Daily)
UN Environment has signed a strategic partnership with Sina Weibo, China's biggest social media network, in order to amplify its campaigns on pollution and other urgent environmental issues in the world's most populous nation.
The partnership agreement signed on Monday at the UN Environmental Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, means UN Environment's campaigns will reach millions more people through social media in China. It also demonstrates Weibo's strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.
"Weibo's tremendous reach and expertise in social media will make it a valuable partner in cleaning up our seas and putting us on track towards a pollution-free planet," said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. "Weibo has a great track record on environmental sustainability, and is an example of how aware China and its people are of the need for environmental protection and international cooperation."
"Supporting UN Environment to protect the Earth and its natural systems appeals to our strong sense of corporate citizenship," said Dong Wenjun, Vice-President of Weibo. "Together we can promote deeper understanding of environmental problems and solutions, and motivate more people to take action."
Under the agreement, UN Environment and Weibo will work together to promote and amplify environmental issues and UN Environment content. They will also cooperate in content creation, resource mobilization and analysis of how people in China relate to environmental sustainability.
Weibo has already supported several UN Environment campaigns across its networks in recent years, including World Environment Day and World Wildlife Day. In 2016, Weibo named UN Environment's Wild for Life among the top 10 most influential advocacy campaigns.
Solheim and Dong signed the agreement during the third meeting of the UN Environment Assembly, the highest-level decision-making body on the environment. The assembly is taking place under the theme "Towards a pollution-free planet." After the ceremony, Weibo presented a video showing how they have already collected more than 200,000 pledges for the #BeatPollution campaign.
