The CEEC is the centre of a network of national environmental education and communication initiatives, a base for national environmental protection TV and film productions and training, and a window for international cooperation projects in the field of environmental education and communication. 

Its main functions include: 
- working out a plan for major environmental communication activities on a national level and organise implementation,
- organising the compilation and production of environmental education and communication, teaching and audiovisual materials,
- organising nationwide training for the heads of EPBs as well as other environmental protection training,
- developing opportunities of international exchange and cooperation in the fields of environmental education and communication and training,
- working on the standardisation of national environmental protection education and communication systems, and offering guidance to local CEECs.

The CEEC consists of 4 sections, which are the Communication, Education, Audiovisual and Training Sections. There are 42 people working at the CEEC, of which 24 are regular staff (8 having master degrees and 14 bachelor degrees). This centre has at its disposal an advanced set of audiovisual production equipment, as well as perfect conference and training facilities. It can meet the demands of TV and film materials storage, reference, and reproduction, filming of environmental TV and film teaching materials as well as small and middle-sized conferences. It is moreover engaged in shooting, editing, producing, translating, dubbing, composing, and the interrelated collection and arrangement of audiovisual materials for TV productions. 

The CEEC's China Environment and Sustainable Development Reference and Research Centre (CESDRRC, see www.chinaeol.net/cesdrrc) is a library specialised on environmental protection issues, with a wide variety of materials in the form of books, newspapers, journals, videos, CD ROMs, etc. and open to public use free of charge.

Since its foundation, the CEEC has achieved most promising success in the implementation of projects, like 
- training for decision-makers at national EPBs, 
- ISO 14000 Environmental Management Systems Training Series, 
- establishment of Green Schools and Green Communities, 
- participation in the worldwide school-based education and science programme for the environment GLOBE, 
- participation in the international business management and environmental education project BELL, 
- Mobil China Environmental Education Fund Project, 
- Sino-Japanese technical cooperation
- the Sino-Japanese-Korean Tripartite Environmental Education Network
- and other international technical cooperation projects.

The CEEC's environmental communication website ‘China Environment Online’ is an Internet platform specialised on publicising environmental issues to a broad audience. 

Almost 100 special TV productions, like films for internal reference, films popularising law, documentaries, dubbed films, etc. such as e.g. ‘The Road to Environmental Protection in China’ and ‘Eco-Environmental Footage’ have been broadcasted one by one on TV.