NewsINBAR Headquarters welcomes French Ambassador for the Environment
INBAR and France set to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative and other sustainable development initiatives.
On 29 May 2025, Prof. Jiang Zehui, Co-Chair of the INBAR Board of Trustees, welcomed H.E. Ms. Barbara Pompili, former Minister for Ecological Transition and Ambassador for the Environment of France, at INBAR Headquarters. The two sides held friendly talks on key topics related to international development and cooperation, including the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic (BASP) Initiative.
Jiang welcomed the delegation and introduced the history of INBAR, along with recent progress of the BASP Initiative. She stated that as an intergovernmental organization, INBAR is committed to using bamboo and rattan resources to build a bridge for dialogue and cooperation between China and France, thereby supporting multilateral international development. She expressed her wish that INBAR and France will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of climate change and green development, particularly in promoting the BASP Initiative both in France and globally.
Pompili expressed her gratitude to INBAR for the warm reception of the French delegation. She highlighted the broad prospects of the BASP Initiative launched by the Government of China and INBAR. She mentioned that building a sustainable and resilient future is an increasingly urgent concern, and noted that bamboo will undoubtedly play an instrumental role in this context. While plastic plays an important role in daily life, it is neither environmentally friendly nor sustainable. INBAR’s work is hence of great significance. Although bamboo cannot replace all plastic products, the Initiative sends a strong and positive message. France is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with INBAR in sustainable development initiatives such as BASP.
Ms. Li Lan, INBAR Director of External Relations and Partnerships, and Mr. Julien Boudet, Sustainable Development Counsellor (Economic), Embassy of the French Republic in China, attended the meeting. Borja De La Peña, INBAR Global Policy Officer, delivered a report on the implementation of the BASP Initiative.
Prior to the talks, the delegation visited the INBAR’s bamboo and rattan exhibition hall.
