Environmentalists gathered in Beijing Friday at an international environmental leaders' symposium on scientific development to offer proposals for China's sustainable development.

Pan Yue, deputy director of China's State Environmental Protection Administration, said related policies and regulations should be enacted to guarantee the public participation in environmental protection.

Due to the deficiency of public participation and a sound legalsystem, China is facing severe environmental pollution, said Pan, who called for efforts to increase public participation in environmental protection, especially enhancing the consciousness of young people.

Maurice Strong, special adviser to the UN Secretary-General, suggested in a video speech that China seek for a coordinated development of the economy, society and the environment, and let the people know the importance of environmental protection through education.

Denis Hayes, president of the Bullitt Foundation and founder ofthe Earth Day, said China, as the largest developing country in the world, has a major impact on the global ecological environment.China should set up related strategy for coordinated development so as to make contribution to the world, he added.

Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, said China's sustainable development of the economy, society and the environment will benefit both the 1.3 billion Chinese and the global sustainable development as a whole.

More than 300 representatives from government departments, colleges, research institutes, foreign embassies to China, enterprises, international organizations and non-governmental organizations attended the symposium.

Source: Xinhua