Becoming an EcoPartner
We are now accepting applications for new EcoPartnerships! Applications are due March 8, 2012. Download the application here and read below for more information.
Secretary Clinton speaks to the new EcoPartners at the State Department (May 2011).
The Utah—Qinghai EcoPartnership is working together to build an innovative biodigester on the outskirts of Shanghai.
The EcoPartnerships program is a key component of the U.S.-China relationship on energy and environmental issues. EcoPartnerships link local action in our two countries with international cooperation at the highest levels.
Becoming an EcoPartner is a significant achievement and honor. Besides the recognition conferred by selection as an EcoPartner, benefits of the program include:
· Joining a network of energy and environmental leaders engaged in fascinating projects across the U.S. and China
· Connecting with U.S. government agencies, and having access to the vast network and resources of the existing EcoPartnerships program
· Becoming an internationally recognized leader in sustainability and eco-innovation
Sharing best practices in areas such as cleaner electricity transmission, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, electric vehicle technology and deployment, clean water technologies, energy efficiency, wetlands conservation, etc.. If you and your organization would like to apply to become an EcoPartner, please contact the EcoPartnerships Team via phone or email. Please download and complete ONE of the following two forms:
1. If you are applying with a Chinese partner, please download this Application for Couples PDF» Word»
2. If you are applying without a Chinese partner, please download this Application for Singles PDF» Word»
Either form will be accepted.
The Statement of Interest will serve as your application form for your EcoPartnership. Please transmit this form via electronic mail to MaltzerEJ@state.gov. Additional materials may also be transmitted and will be accepted but are not necessary for successful applicants.”
Please consider this three step process for becoming an EcoPartner (as outlined in the Implementation Plan)*:
Step One (February-March 2012): EcoPartnership candidates are to fill out the application documents (in English and in Chinese), and submit those documents to the National Development and Reform Commission in China and to the State Department in the U.S. The application documents include questions about: project concept; proposed partners; proposed outcomes and results; and technical and budgetary capabilities.
Step Two (March-April 2012): The Chinese and U.S. lead agencies and their respective secretariats and the Advisory Committee will review the applications in accordance with criteria listed above and the Joint Secretariat will then convene to evaluate and select new EcoPartnerships. Based on the Joint Secretariat evaluation, the applicants will then be advised to either:
(A) Draft the Statement of Intent on Implementation of an EcoPartnership and submit it to the lead agencies of China and U.S. for review and final approval. Upon final approval of the Statement of Intent, the new EcoPartnership will be required to submit an Action Plan to the lead agencies of China and U.S., specifying short, medium and longer term objectives and key elements of the EcoPartnership Project, as spelled out in the Application Documents Section of the Chinese and U.S. websites. All documents at this stage are to be submitted in both English and Chinese; or
(B) Engage in detailed and in-depth communications to give better definition to their proposed project and to demonstrate the required maturity of and sustainable nature of the proposed partnership. Upon sufficient demonstration of the viability of the proposed partnership, applicants will be asked to engage in step (A) above.
Step Three (April-May 2012): The Joint Secretariat will identify appropriate opportunities to publicly recognize new EcoPartnerships in a timely fashion.
Semi-Annual Update
Every six months, team leaders are to jointly complete a Semi-Annual Update. These updates are designed to provide status reports on each EcoPartnership to the Secretariat of the Ten Year Energy and Environment Framework (TYF) and the Director of EcoPartnerships.
Annual Status Report
Every year (i.e., every second semi-annual report), the US and China EcoPartnership team leaders are to jointly compile an Annual Status Report. These reports are designed to provide a detailed update on the status of each EcoPartnership to the Secretariat of the Ten Year Energy and Environment Framework (TYF) and the Director of EcoPartnerships.
*Note that the EcoPartnerships program is a competitive process, and the EcoPartnerships Secretariat reserves the right to limit the total number of EcoPartnerships.