Annual Report 2016-17

59 Our partners and the community Case study High level Chinese delegation learns about our support for the courts and sentencing information for environmental offences The China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) is a high-level advisory body established in 1992 to strengthen cooperation and exchange information between China and the international community in the field of environment and development. The Vice Premier of China hosts the Council. The Council’s role is to conduct research and provide policy recommendations about sustainable development to the Chinese Government. During the year, we hosted a taskforce of Chinese and international experts who advise the Council on environmental law and its implementation. Members of the taskforce were very interested to learn about the Commission’s support for the courts. Of particular interest was the information we publish on the Judicial Information Research System (JIRS), including the Land and Environment Court sentencing database. The database records the factors which the Land and Environment Court considers when sentencing environmental offenders. Our Research Director also spoke about a new research project (see p 33) which will assist the Land and Environment Court with transparent and consistent sentencing. A taskforce of Chinese and international experts was set up by the Chinese Council for International Cooperation on the Environment to advise the Chinese Government on environmental law. The taskforce visited the Commission on 20 July 2016 and are pictured above with Chief Executive, Ernest Schmatt PSM.