Implementation of the NBSAP
A Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan, officially released by the State Council in June 1994, defines the overall target for China’s biodiversity conservation as “taking effective measures as soon as possible to avoid further losses of biodiversity by reversing or reducing the current rate of loss of biodiversity”. More recently, China updated its NBSAP for the next two decades (2011-2030). The new strategy contains 3 goals, 8 strategic tasks, 10 priority domains, 30 priority actions, 35 priority areas for conservation and 39 priority projects for implementation. The principles enshrined in this strategy are fourfold, namely “conservation being a first priority, sustainable use, public participation and benefit-sharing”.
Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets
First of all, notable achievements have been made in regard to in situ conservation. At the end of 2011, China had established 2,640 nature reserves at different levels (not including those in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao), covering 149.71 million ha, representing 14.93% of the total land area (the global average is 12%). There are 335 national reserves, 2,747 forest parks (covering 1.83% of China’s total land area), including 746 national parks, 225 national scenic areas, 213 pilot national wetland parks and 219 national geological parks. In this light, the total protected area throughout the country thus covers about 17% of China’s total land area, to which must be added 17 national marine reserves and 113 national field sites and protected areas for the conservation of genetic resources and domesticated animals.
In parallel to its protected area policy, the Chinese Government has also launched several projects for the preservation of ecosystems. In particular, 6 major forestry projects have been implemented to mitigate impacts on ecosystems, including a natural forests protection project, returning farmlands to forests, afforestation, sandstorm source control projects and the building of forest belts in north, northeast and northwest China. China has also adopted a number of management measures for the use of wildlife resources, such as licensing the hunting of protected wild animals, pharmaceutical manufacturing using protected wild plants and the domestication of protected wild animals. A quota system has been put in place for logging, along with a compensation system for forest ecological benefits and grassland non-use. In the aquatic and marine environment, China has also adopted a fishing licensing system, a fishing ban season and a non-fishing area system, as well as a plan for “zero or negative increase” in marine fish catches. Some positive trends are already reported, such as the number of giant pandas which rose from 1,000 in the 1980s to over 1,800 at present. In 2011, the total emission of chemical oxygen demand decreased by 2.04%, compared with 2010, and that of sulfur dioxide decreased by 2.21%, while the overall quality of coastal waters across the country is improving from year to year.
Efforts have also been made to strengthen ex situ conservation. China has established 234 botanical gardens and arboreta, conserving over 20,000 species of higher plants; 240 zoos; 2 national long-term banks and 25 medium-terms banks for agricultural crop germplasm resources; 32 national gardens for germplasm resources, etc.
Finally, other milestones include the development of a policy on invasive alien species; establishment of an Office of Biosafety Management to manage the risks arising from the cultivation of GMOs; EIA legislation requiring that the public be involved in environmental impact assessment of development projects, including those impacting biodiversity; progress made in international cooperation and exchange; construction of facilities and capacity-building for public awareness-raising and education on environmental issues.
Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)
To support national implementation of biodiversity policy, China has developed a wide range of economic instruments in financing, taxation, banking, credit, pricing and trade for environmental protection and reducing pollutant emissions. In policy and legal terms, the implementation of a number of international conventions, such as CITES, Ramsar, UNFCCC and UNCCD, is a means for China to translate biodiversity protection into national targets. Main legislative tools framing biodiversity protection at the national level include a series of laws (Wild Animal Protection Law, Forest Law, Grassland Law, etc.) and administrative regulations (e.g Regulation on Nature Reserves, Regulation on the Protection of Wild Plants). Programs and plans specifically dedicated to biodiversity include China’s Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan, National Sustainable Development Strategy, China’s Agenda 21 and the National Ecological Environment Plan. In addition, biodiversity has been mainstreamed in a number of sectoral policies. Examples of national strategies and plans integrating biodiversity include the 11th Five-Year Plan for Agricultural and Rural Development, National Plan for Grassland Conservation, Natural Forest Conservation Plan, Wetland Conservation Plan and the National Program for Marine Development. Biodiversity protection is also included in national and local poverty reduction plans, such as the Program for Poverty Alleviation and Development of China’s Rural Areas (2001-2010), which requires that poverty reduction must be linked with natural resources and ecological conservation. In China’s 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) for National Economic and Social Development, an entire chapter is devoted to promoting ecological protection and remediation. Finally, according to the report of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held in November 2012, China will give high priority to making ecological progress through integrating ecological issues into all relevant sectors and processes of advancing economic, political, cultural and social progress, and through initiatives such as Building a Beautiful Country, and achieving sustainable development in China.
The investment by the Chinese governments in the environment, including ecology improvement and biodiversity conservation, has reached over 1% of its GDP. These domestic expenses are supplemented by international financial support. China has undertaken extensive cooperation with international organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Environment Program, as well as with the European Union, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada and the United States. A great number of multilateral and bilateral programs were launched. For instance, since 1991, GEF alone has approved a total grant of USD 99.06 million to China’s biodiversity project.
Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation
In recent years, China has completed a number of large-scale surveys on natural resources and biodiversity. These include the Sixth National Forest Resources Inventory, National Wetland Survey, National Wildlife Resources Survey and the National Survey on Livestock Genetic Resources, resulting in the publication of inventories such as the China Red Data Book on Endangered Animals. The next round of such surveys (e.g. Second National Wetland Survey, National Wildlife Resources Survey) is in process at the moment. China is currently undertaking a national survey on key biological resources and a national survey on the status of the marine environment. An ecosystem research network has also been set up with 36 field research stations throughout the country and in key regions. In addition, China has established a national forest resources monitoring system, with four monitoring centers set up in northeast, east, northwest and south central China; 800 agricultural environmental monitoring institutions at the municipal and county levels; and a national system for monitoring the marine environment. Finally, a set of national indicators has been developed to measure progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target.