Communiqué of Civil Society 20 China 2016

17. Efforts shall be intensified to protect ecological environment with environment quality improvement at the core and tackling environmental threat to public health as the priority. Measures highlighting prevention and drawing on comprehensive management shall be taken to strengthen the prevention and control , as appropriate, of air, water and soil pollution, implement the strictest environmental protection system, and set up an environment management system to engage governments, business enterprises and the civil society.

18. Overall energy consumption shall be managed by gradually phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and increasing the share of the renewables in the energy mix and higher global energy efficiency. Energy conservation technologies and products shall be developed and popularized. A clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient modern energy system shall take shape to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable clean energy for all.

19. Efforts shall be made to develop energy conservation and environment-protecting industries, hasten their development in clusters, and build a system of circular industries. Green and low-carbon cities, green designs, green supply chain, green infrastructure, green consumption, green families and green traveling shall be promoted and green education shall be included in school curriculums. The civil society shall be encouraged to take actions in long-term low-carbon, climate-adaptive and sustainable social transformation and to engage further in exchanges and cooperation with governments, financial institutions and enterprises in a joint effort to promote social change in this regard.

20. We support the G20 in its actions and initiatives for green finance and call for the upgrading of G20 Green Finance Study Group into a Working Group. Green finance shall be integrated into national development strategies. Active efforts shall be made to deliver green financial products and services, channel public fund and social capital into green projects, promote green PPP projects and increase investment in nature. Green taxation shall be taken into consideration and "green" bonds issued. We support development of third-party verification and international standards for issuing green bonds, building up the carbon market and enhancing international cooperation in this regard. In carrying out domestic and international economic projects, impacts on the environmental and social dimensions shall be taken into account and be assessed. Laws and regulations shall be formulated to enforce financial institutions and enterprises to disclose information on environmental and social impacts and protect the public's rights to know and supervise.

Championing the Future through Innovation

21. Innovation has always been the driving force behind human progress. Under the current circumstances of sluggish recovery in the global economy, invigorating vitality for innovation across the society appears to be particularly crucial. Inclusive innovation shall be advocated, creating a cultural and social atmosphere which boosts exploration, encourages innovation and allows failures and removing all timidity and institutional barriers that constrain innovation, so as to effectuate innovation by the people and for the people. Vulnerable groups shall participate in and benefit from innovation. A comprehensive approach shall be taken to integrate innovation in mindset, ideas, business, technology, society and institutions.

22. Innovation shall be conducive to sustainable development. More input shall be directed to innovation while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of labor, information, knowledge, technology, environmental sustainability, management and capital. An integrated approach shall be adopted with regard to the development of industry, education and research, helping to drive cost-effective solutions.

23. People with talents shall be regarded as the primary factor for innovation. Intensified efforts shall be devoted to attracting and training and optimally utilizing talents. Mobility of talents shall be encouraged. New programs shall be developed to train innovative talents.

24. Innovation in science and technology shall honor the scientific spirit, ethics and moral standards. On the basis of fully understanding the features of scientific and technological programmes, favorable conditions and tolerant environment shall be created to facilitate research, invention and technological breakthrough by scientists.

25. More emphasis shall be laid on enterprises as an important player in innovation and non-governmental scientific and technological institutions and organizations as a player and intermediary in conducting and promoting scientific research. Governments shall, by means of fiscal subsidy, taxation and indirect investment, extend support to enterprises, especially small- and medium-sized ones (SMEs) in carrying out scientific research and development.

26. Intellectual property rights shall be protected with improved legislation and strict law enforcement. Meanwhile, more enterprises and individuals shall be encouraged to rationally use their patents and copyrights for widespread sharing of information and data.

27. Support shall be directed towards enterprises, individuals and other organizations in their efforts to create new Internet-based industries and business models. We support the construction of the Internet infrastructure for the migration to the next generation Internet (IPv6) and the green and sustainable development of cyberspace. We encourage the broader advocacy of "mass entrepreneurship and pool of wisdom" as well as the new business model of "maker". The SME innovation service system shall be improved by offering greater support for their cross-border economic activities.

28. Financial innovation shall serve the real economy by expanding venture capital availability and capital market, providing flexible and easily accessible credit, broadening indirect financing for technological innovation and directing investment into innovation projects. Efforts shall be made to tackle the challenge by containing the rapid increase in potentially destabilizing financial products and speculative financial flows. New financial products shall be subject to approval in a mandatory procedure and risky financial products shall be strictly regulated and managed.