Mr. Ruihe Tu (Keynote Speaker)

Head of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) China Office,

Co-chair of Result Group of the Planet in UN-China Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework

Mr. Ruihe Tu joined the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in January 2018 as UNEP Representative and Country Director for China. He is Co-Chair of Result Group of the Planet in UN-Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework with China.

With 35 years of experience in the field of environment and sustainable development, Mr. Tu has successively engaged in environmental impact assessment, cleaner production, environmental emergency response, climate change, river basin management, and biodiversity conservation. He also has extensive experience in bilateral, regional and multilateral international co-operation affairs. Prior to joining UNEP, he served as Division Chief and Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Environmental Protection, the People’s Republic of China, (now the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China) during which he was a key negotiator for major international conferences and environmental conventions, in charge of the implementation of a number of internationally funded co-operation projects. From 2008 to 2011, he served as Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Environmental Protection Department, responsible for environmental impact assessment, environmental technology and education, and pollution prevention and control policies. From 1997 to 1998, he worked as a consultant for the UNEP Paris Office.

Mr. Tu has been invited to deliver remarks or keynote speeches at many large conferences and forums on ecological civilisation, national parks, green and low-carbon development, sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, green finance, and the environmental industry. He also served as a member of the Sustainability Advisory Committee for 2022 Beijing Winter Games and the member for the Green Committee for 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. He is also a member of 100 Eminent Forum for Beautiful China. In addition, he has attended and supported previous editions of the MIECF, and was a keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of the 2014MIECF in his capacity as Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China (now the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China), where he recognised the increased scale and attractiveness of the MIECF.

Mr. Tu holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in engineering.

Mr. Ruihe Tu will deliver a keynote speech on the theme of "Global Environmental Governance: Progress and Outlook" at the opening ceremony, where he will share insights and engage in discussions.