China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Making waves on the global stage
Young Chinese are increasingly making their voices heard and influencing world opinion as they take on more important roles in international organizations and global projects.
At a ceremony in Beijing in April, singer and actor Wang Junkai was made the national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme by Eric Solheim, the organization’s executive director.
“We young people have a responsibility to protect the environment and secure our future, and I am looking forward to learning from and working with the UN family on key environmental issues,” Wang said in his speech after the appointment.
“The youth are no longer merely onlookers when it comes to environmental action, nor should they be. I will spare no effort in doing everything I can to take care of our Earth, and I invite everyone to join me in generating a wave of positive action,” he said.
Wang Junkai, or Karry Wang, best known for his leading role in box-office blockbuster Miracles of the Namiya General Store and the hit single Karry On, has often spoken out on environmental issues, making him one of the leaders on environmental protection and other public welfare topics among the Chinese youth.
The 18-year old performer is a superstar of the highest ranks in Asia, and is widely regarded as China’s answer to Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Bieber.
Known for his leading role in Namiya General Store and top roles in various TV series, as well as his solo music career, Wang has amassed more than 40 million followers on Sina Weibo. And both in China and around Southeast Asia, Wang has been one of the leaders of the online conversation about the environment.
In 2016, Wang widely shared the online Wild for Life campaign, which gained 400 million views. A year later, he publicly spoke out on the urgent need to protect endangered wildlife, calling the animals the “superstars of the planet.”
Wang said that had valued the learning process and the professionalism of the partners at UNEP, as well as gaining a new understanding of issues involving environmental protection.
Beyond drawing attention to wildlife, he called on his followers to pledge to reduce their electronic waste, using the hashtag #beatpollution to highlight the issue. Within 24 hours, his post was retweeted 1.67 million times and more than 400,000 followers had pledged to reduce waste.
“Environmental protection is really a very conceptual thing, and large enough to encompass everything in our planet. It not only includes climate change and energy use, but also the complex human living environment and the protection of the ecosystems of wild animals and plants,” he says, adding that if he had learned one thing in his two years of learning about environmental protection, it was that was by no means an overnight job. “Only through our continuous efforts will we see progress.”
In his role as goodwill ambassador, Wang aims to connect with China’s younger generation on some of the most urgent environment issues of their generation, such as pollution, air quality, wildlife protection, ecosystems, and many more.
The first thing he did was to support Young Champions of the Earth in China, an online activity organized by Chinese social network platform Sina Weibo in conjunction with the UNEP.
Young Champions of the Earth in China looks for talented people aged 18 to 30 with creative ideas regarding environmental protection. The best three ideas will be selected in late May through an online poll and by an expert panel. The winners will receive seed funding as well as intensive training and tailored mentoring to help realize their ideas.
“Many young people on our platform are interested in environmental protection and are engaged in charity work, so we hope the new generation will lead the way in safeguarding our Earth and beautifying our country,” says Cao Guowei, CEO and chairman of Sina, the tech company behind Sina Weibo.
“China has never lacked young environmental protectors,” Wang says, adding that he hopes to see more young people join the initiative and pay attention to safeguarding the Earth.
According to the UN report Youth in the Core of Sustainability in Asia Pacific published in March 2016, young people’s participation will help achieve the sustainable development goals in the Asia-Pacific region set for 2030.
“Our actions will soon be the leverage to change the world,” Wang says, calling on the younger generation in China and around the world to raise their awareness of environmental issues.
“It is inspiring to see the strong and determined voice of Chinese youth when it comes to the environment. When young people set their minds to change, it is incredible to see the great things that can be accomplished,” says Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. “We are very excited to work with Wang Junkai to create even more awareness about the environmental problems and solutions for these times.”
As the leading global voice on the environment, UN Environment provides leadership and encourages partnerships in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations, he says.
Besides Wang, other UNEP goodwill ambassadors include actress Li Bingbing, actor Li Chen, Ellie Goulding, Bertrand Piccard and celebrities from all walks of life both from China and abroad.
Li Bingbing, the first Asian star to receive the title, addressed the Global Climate Summit in English and called for the protection of the Tibetan antelope during the Wild for Life campaign. In September 2017, Li Chen was awarded the title of UNEP goodwill ambassador in Beijing, where he committed to build partnerships and raise public awareness about the environment and health.