Oregon promotes sustainability to Chinese officials
Portland Business Journal - September 1, 2006
by Aliza Earnshaw
Business Journal staff writer
A meeting last month between Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and a group of high-level Chinese officials signals the state’s efforts to sell its expertise in sustainability.
Kulongoski met for an hour on Aug. 19 with 23 officials, including vice ministers, city mayors, provincial governors and other agency officials, to talk about Oregon’s history with China and its current interest in doing more business with the most populous Asian nation.
The group also attended a half-day seminar on sustainability.
“The goal was to introduce decision-makers to what Oregon has to offer in sustainability, energy efficiency and green building,” said Karen Goddin, manager of the international trade section of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. “We want to expand commercial opportunities in China for our companies.”
The OECDD has identified sustainability as a growth cluster for Oregon, just as chip manufacturing, digital display, food processing, wood products and other industries are regarded as clusters to be tracked and developed.
The training seminar attended by the Chinese officials was organized by two of Portland’s notable centers for sustainability: Portland State University’s Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices and the China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development, located in the World Trade Center in downtown Portland.
However, that half-day seminar could have been something more: The Chinese officials came to Oregon after attending a two-week training session at Stanford University in California.
Oregon could build on its current efforts, both in the state and its energy conservation program in Shanghai, to brand the state as a destination for sustainability expertise, said business consultant Jin Lan, who helped organize the Chinese officials’ visit.
“The Chinese want to look at actual applications of green building in Oregon,” he said.
Lan, who helps Oregon businesses find customers, suppliers and investors in China, thinks Portland State could offer a one-week or two-week certification program in sustainability that would find favor with the Chinese.
This entry was posted on Monday, September 4th, 2006 at 8:15 am
