BEIJING : As the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity is to be held on September 30, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly released on September 21 China’s position paper “Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth: China in Action”, elaborating on China’s experience, progress, position and propositions on biodiversity conservation from the perspectives including philosophy of ecological civilization, domestic policy measures, promoting sustainable development, engagement of the entire society, global biodiversity governance, international exchanges and cooperation.
As stated in the position paper released by the Chinese embassy in Colombon on Wednesday, it was pointed out :, “ China will remain committed to pursuing ecological protection and green development. China will continue to hold high the banner of multilateralism and is committed to the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. China will actively participate in global biodiversity governance and contribute China’s wisdom to global ecological civilization and to a shared future for all life on Earth. As the host of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), China will make good preparations for it and stands ready to work together with other countries for an ambitious, balanced and realistic framework and a clean, beautiful world thriving with life.”
As the incoming presidency of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), China is a staunch advocate of multilateralism and has always been an active participant and facilitator of the
multilateral process of biodiversity. China stands for the balanced
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implementation of the Convention’s three objectives, namely the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. China urges all parties, under the principles of fairness, transparency and parties-driven process, to broaden consensus, move in the same direction, and facilitate the adoption of an ambitious, balanced and realistic Post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework, and move toward a more just and equitable biodiversity governance system that embodies the best efforts of all parties.
In light of the serious challenges presented by industrialization such as environmental pollution and ecosystem degradation, the Chinese government has been advocating and working to advance ecological civilization, which draws upon the ancient Chinese notion of “unity of nature and man” and “follow nature’s course”. It embodies the cultural ethics based on the tenets of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, among human beings and between humanity and society, virtuous cycle, all-round development and sustainable prosperity. The philosophy is underpinned by eight principles that China upholds, i.e., civilizations thrive on their natural surroundings; man and nature should coexist in harmony; lucid water and lush mountains are invaluable assets; no welfare is more universally beneficial than a sound natural environment; mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands are part of a community of life; the strictest regulations and laws must be applied in protecting the environment; an all-nation effort is needed to build a beautiful China; global ecological conservation requires the joint efforts of all; and ecological civilization must be incorporated into all aspects and the whole
process of advancing economic, political, cultural, and social progress. These principles align closely with the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. They are also highly compatible with the
Ecological civilization was enshrined in the Chinese constitution in 2018 and embedded in the master blueprint of national development. China has put forward the philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development. Guided by the philosophy of ecological civilization, China’s efforts in this regard have kicked into high gear. The beautiful scroll of bluer skies, greener mountains and clearer waters will unfold in front of the world.
Building a shared future for all life on Earth represents the shared aspiration of mankind. Faced with the ecological challenges, all people are members of a community where they rise and fall together. China adheres to the philosophy of ecological civilization and has made remarkable progress in this respect. China is willing to join hands with the international community to raise the awareness of respecting, following and protecting nature, actively share its experience in advancing ecological civilization, stay committed to green development and a low-carbon, circular and sustainable mode of production and life, jointly build a shared future for all life on Earth, and chart the course for global ecological civilization.
China has developed inter-agency government coordination mechanisms for biodiversity. In 2011, the China National Committee for Biodiversity Conservation (CNCBC), composed of 23 departments under the State Council and headed by a Vice Premier, was established to promote communication and collaboration among departments and coordinate biodiversity actions at the national level.
China has formulated and executed a strategic plan for biodiversity conservation. Drafted and adopted in 2010, the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030) identified the overall goals, strategic tasks and priority actions for biodiversity conservation in the country for the coming two decades. Since 2015, China has conducted wildlife survey and monitoring through major biodiversity conservation projects, logging more than 2.1 million entries. Continued efforts have been made to track and evaluate the progress in the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan.
It has incorporated biodiversity into its overall planning for economic and social development, ecological protection and restoration, land use as well as its special plans. The country puts biodiversity conservation high on the agenda, codifying it into the 13th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2016-2020). A comprehensive structure for ecological conservation has taken shape, marked by the introduction of a national spatial planning framework, setting the ecological conservation red lines and development of a nature reserve system. Measures for the protection and management of biodiversity are clearly identified through plans for ecological protection and improvement, water and soil conservation, rehabilitation of farmland, grassland, rivers and lakes, and protection of endangered wildlife and water resources. In June this year, China unveiled a 15-year comprehensive plan for ecosystem management entitled the Master Plan for the Major Projects for the Protection and Restoration of National Key Ecosystems (2021-2035).
China has accelerated biodiversity conservation efforts at the local level. More than 20 local governments, such as Sichuan and Heilongjiang, have unveiled Provincial Biodiversity Conservation Strategies and Action Plans, with biodiversity conservation committees established to coordinate the implementation of related policies and actions and participate in major decision-making and planning at the local and departmental level in order to effectively support subnational biodiversity conservation.”