Interview

Wen Bo

China Program Co-Director, Pacific Environment
Beijing

Wen Bo is the Beijing-based China programme co-director of Pacific Environment, a San Francisco environmental group working to protect the environment around the Pacific Rim. He is also an Asia Society fellow.

What is the mission statement of your organization?

Pacific Environment protects the living environment of the Pacific Rim by promoting grassroots activism, strengthening communities and reforming international policies.

When was it created, by whom, and why?

Pacific Environment was founded in 1987 as Pacific Energy and Resources Center to focus on international energy and resources issues. In 1991, Pacific Environment became the first international organization to bring widespread attention to the threats facing the Siberian taiga, beginning a long history of work in Russia. With articles in the Washington Post and the British journal Nature, among others, we highlighted the rush to liquidate Russia’s natural resources in the post-Cold War economy. At the same time, we began our long-term commitment to cooperating with and supporting local environmental organizations and activists.

Since 2001, Pacific Environment has worked with grassroots NGOs in China to strengthen their capacities and protect the natural world. We provide our partners with critical financial resources to train staff, cover operating expenses, and organize public outreach campaigns and media trainings. We also network our partners together through conferences and an international exchange program. Furthermore, we provide regular assistance and feedback on project development and implementation.

In addition to China and Russia, Pacific Environment also operates programs in California and Alaska.

How long have you been involved with the NGO?

I have been working in the NGO movement since 1986, when I started my high school’s first environmental club. I have been involved with Pacific Environment since 2001.

Why did you get involved?

As a student, I got involved because I was interested in world affairs and wanted to get to know more about environmental problems. I started working with Pacific Environment because they are committed to supporting grassroots environmental efforts.

What is your operating budget? What would you do with more funds?

The operating budget of Pacific Environment’s work in China is just over $500,000. Approximately one-third of those funds are directly granted to small environmental groups throughout China. We work with each partner group to help build their skills to operate more effectively and sustainably, gain local and international media attention, and work on addressing specific environmental crises in their community. We also use the funds to bring all the partners together to discuss and find solutions to challenges they all encounter. If we had more funds, we would work with more groups throughout China and support additional projects in China critical to local communities and the world, like protecting endangered marine species. We would also use additional funds to help get the stories of our partners out to the world, through additional media work and professional exchanges.

Outside of funding, what are some of the biggest challenges it faces? Or, specifically, what is the most frustrating part?

The scale of the problems in China is the biggest challenge. China is huge, as are the threats from pollution, desertification, loss of access to fresh water, and climate change. So much is at stake. What gives us hope is that there are also so many people that are starting to more fully appreciate the natural beauty and heritage of China’s environment and understand the impacts that pollution has on community health. My work is sustained by helping these individuals who are working to make things better in their communities and in China.

How was the grant given by explore through the Annenberg Foundation used?

The explore grant provided the core support allowing me and other staff to meet face-to-face with our community partners, providing them with the assistance they need to achieve their great work. We used the funds to support our yearly conference where all of our partners get together to discuss the large pollution problems that face Chinese communities and brainstorm solutions to the shared challenges we face. It provided the broad support that allowed us to provide the grants that help sustain many of our partners. Additionally, it allowed us to get our partners’ and our own stories out into the media, from National Geographic to the explore video that we use to show other people our wonderful work.

Do you think it had an impact? How?

The explore grant had a tremendous impact. We have been able to meet the growing needs within China and have seen substantial added interest in our work. Our China program works to achieve a lot on a relatively small budget. Over the past two years, our program has grown significantly and has helped raise awareness about the environmental movement among our partners, with local and international media, and with people in China and throughout the world. Without the core support that the explore grant provided, I do not think we could have had such reach with our work.

What is your dream for Pacific Environment?

I hope Pacific Environment will grow as an environmental leader in the Northern Pacific Rim region, and help with the continued growth of a number of local groups in China, the Russian Far East, Korea and Japan.

What would you consider your organization’s greatest accomplishment?

Although Pacific Environment has worked to shield millions of acres of forest and win protections for endangered species, my belief is that Pacific Environment’s greatest accomplishment is building a movement of community-based groups around the Northern Pacific Rim. From small groups of student volunteers to one-person offices in rural China, Pacific Environment is connecting these groups together and providing the resources so their voices are heard around the world. There are environmental groups in China doing amazing work that were jump-started by Pacific Environment.

What are three things about Pacific Environment that you wish people knew?

• Our partners around the Pacific Rim and their dedicated staff and leadership
• Our dedicated San Francisco office team
• David Gordon, Pacific Environment’s executive director

Do you think media accurately portrays the issues your organization represents?

There is a lot of negative media attention on China, especially around its pollution. I would love to see more positive stories being told by the media. For example, our partner Green Anhui helped close down 3 polluting factories this year. If the media could do a better job of covering those successful victories, I think the public would understand China better. I think there could be more media coverage of the organization’s work and their dedicated partners around the North Pacific Rim.

How can people get involved?

Pacific Environment is active in California, Alaska, Russia, and China. Come to one of our events in the SF Bay Area, Washington DC or LA; volunteer your time; make a donation; or sign up online to learn more about the issues and take action when your voice is needed.

Have you always worked in the NGO field?

I am trained as a reporter, and I worked for China Environment News before working in the NGO sector.

Why is NGO work important?

NGO work is not limited to a given geographical area or sector. NGOs consist of people who care and have passion for their causes. They are motivated by improving society and the environment for future generations.

Why is it important to be a selfless person?

As humans, we are all limited in what we can attain for ourselves materially. If we always think of only ourselves and in our own self-interest, there will be endless material needs that we can never fully satisfy. We would feel the misery of never having our material needs met. If we forget about ourselves, then we do not feel the misery of scarcity. Together we can achieve so much more for our communities and nature.

Did you have an inspirational figure in your life growing up?

Greenpeace was an inspirational group from which I learned about campaigning.

Are there other selfless leaders out there you admire? If so, who and why?

I am inspired by the many volunteers who participate in environmental activities around the world. I am also motivated by people who lead environmental work over the years, like Mei Ng of Friends of the Earth Hong Kong.

If there is one place or issue out there in the world you could personally explore, what would it be?

In southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Xishuanbanna is a region full of endangered species, threatened ecosystems, and ancient cultures. There, logging, wildlife trade, rural health and water issues are having a huge impact on indigenous peoples’ livelihood and the wilderness. This is a region I would love to explore.

What was your biggest surprise when explore came to visit you?

It was wonderful to work with Charles Annenberg when he came to China. He is a very nice and easy-going person, and I could tell that he cares about people and environment around him. It was great to show him China and talk with him about ways to collaborate on environmental protection.

What do you believe to be the biggest challenge facing our planet today?

People are still not aware that environmental crisis is real.

What do you think will be our planet’s biggest challenge 10 years from now? 25 years from now? 50 years from now?

• 10 years from now - water crisis
• 25 years from now – climate crisis
• 50 years from now – loss of human habitats

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Health care for all.

What is the key to living a happy life?

Stay healthy and have hope.