On November 19-20, the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the Ministry of Environmental Protection (CEEC) hosted a workshop on “Defending the Blue Sky Through Strategic Communications” in Hengshui, Hebei province, with support from Energy Foundation China. Hengshui is one of the 28 cities in the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region that have suffered severe smog and become the focus of China’s campaign against air pollution.

At the workshop, local officials shared experiences and challenges of their air quality efforts, while experts introduced a scattered coal control media toolkit, as well as how to formulate communication strategies, create a sound social environment for air quality improvement, and work with new media platforms.

Over 70 communication officials from the greater Jing-Jin-Ji region joined the workshop. They conducted group discussions and shared their air quality communication plans and ideas.

Attendees also included Yan Shidong, Deputy Director of CEEC; Wang Shikun, Deputy Mayor of Hengshui; and Pan Jingquan, Director of Hebei’s provincial CEEC.