This year's World Environment Day comes half a year ahead of a critical climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark which is expected to outline a plan to replace the Kyoto Protocol.  Of course there has been much global debate about what an agreement in Copenhagen should look like and who should take on the greatest burden when it comes to CO2 reduction.  So what is the expectation about climate change moving forward?  And what sorts of environmental initiatives are underway or in the works here in China? 

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  In this edition of the show we're talking about World Environment Day.  So let's get started.

(Music)

First let's hear from the UN for a more global perspective on the environment.  Mr. Nick Nuttall is a spokesperson for the United Nations Environment Program.

(Dialogue with Nuttall)

And after a short break, we'll talk to a Chinese expert. 

(Promo)

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  I'm Paul James in Beijing.  In this edition of the show we're discussing the environmental challenges facing us to coincide with World Environment Day today.  For more on this we're joined on the line now by Professor Zhang Shiqiu, Director of the Institute of Environment and Energy at Peking University.

(Dialogue with Zhang)

And with that we close out this edition of  People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  While it's up to governments to implement environmental policy, it's up to us as individuals to do our part to keep our part of this world as clean as we can.  Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn.  For Executive Director Zhao Yang, Producers Chen Mo and Xu Yang, I'm Paul James in Beijing.  Enjoy the weekend.