 |
|
The Ministry of Environmental Protection of China Celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity, 22 May 2015, Beijing
Beijing, 22 May 2015 - More than 150 participants attended this activity, including representatives from relevant government departments, SCBD, UNDP, UNEP, IUCN, WWF, TNC, Conservation International and China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation. H.E. Minister Chen Jining, Vice Minister Li Ganjie, Mr. Braulio Dias, the CBD Executive Secretary and Mr. Hu Deping, Chairman of CBCGDF were present and delivered speeches.
In his key-note speech, Minister Chen Jining highlighted achievements that China has made so far in biodiversity conservation, key challenges that China is facing and priorities for China’s work ahead. He said that the theme selected for the IDB this year-biodiversity for sustainable development, has profoundly revealed close relationship between development and conservation, which is very consistent with the concept of “ecological civilization” that China is now promoting. He said that enhancing biodiversity conservation as well as associated ecosystem services would provide a strong basis for sustainable development. While highlighting achievements, the Minister noted the huge challenges posed by continuing biodiversity decline or loss in China. In response China has recently launched a roadmap for building an “ecological civilization”, where a target has been set to halt biodiversity loss, through implementing major ecological and biodiversity conservation projects in key ecologically vulnerable areas, and strengthening the management of protected areas. In conclusion, he identified four key priorities for future work, including strengthening legal frameworks for biodiversity conservation including developing a new regulation on access and benefit-sharing (related to genetic resources) and technical guidelines for establishing “ecological red lines” (zones where development activities will be strictly prohibited); strengthening biodiversity management mechanisms and bodies, including those for implementing payments for ecosystem services; implementing major conservation projects, both in-situ and ex-situ; and increasing public awareness and participation.
At this event the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched China’s Red Lists of Animals and Plants.
|
