On May 22, 2026, Veolia and Jingshi Data (Beijing) Education Technology Co., Ltd. (affiliated with the Beijing Normal University Science & Technology Group) officially signed a partnership agreement in Beijing to jointly launch the "Veolia Environmental Book Award (CEBA)" project in China. The Veolia Foundation (France) attended the signing ceremony as a witness. This collaboration marks the official debut in China of the environmental book award, which has been established by the Veolia Foundation for over twenty years.

This collaboration aims to integrate the respective strengths and resources of both parties to curate a credible, localized list of original science popularization books on environmental themes. By leveraging reading as a catalyst, the initiative seeks to enhance environmental awareness among Chinese youth while promoting green, low-carbon transformation and the dissemination of scientific concepts.

Focusing on Youth Science Reading, Powered by Collaborative Selection

The inaugural Veolia "China Environmental Book Award" (CEBA) focuses on the 8-12 age group, specifically targeting original Chinese science popularization books published within the past 2-3 years. The selection process will comprehensively evaluate titles based on scientific rigor, educational value, originality, artistic quality, innovation, and age-appropriateness to determine the final award-winning works.

The selection process engages experts from the fields of reading education, science education, children's popular science literature, and environmental protection. It also enlists the participation of volunteer readers and families from among Veolia China’s employees. Through a multi-round selection mechanism, 50 titles have been shortlisted from nearly 300 candidates, from which the final three "Best Books" will be selected.

The list of selected books and authors will be officially announced in September. Concurrently, a series of popular science reading activities, including meet-the-author events, will be organized to foster ecological civilization education and enhance scientific literacy among teenagers.

A Prestigious French-Originated Award

The French Veolia Environmental Book Award was established by the Veolia Foundation in 2006, with the aim of encouraging the creation and promotion of French-language books on environmental themes for the general public. Since its inception, it has shortlisted 372 titles and recognized 37 winners, many of which have been introduced to China.

From the banks of the Seine to the foot of the Great Wall, this spark of environmental reading, nurtured for over two decades, has now taken root in China. Veolia will continue to work hand-in-hand with our partners, using books as a bridge to help more Chinese youth understand ecology and develop a love for nature through reading. We also look forward to using this platform to continuously deepen exchanges and mutual learning between China and France in the fields of environment and culture.