Biodiversity is the foundation for the Earth’s health, humanity’s future, sustainable social and economic development, ecological security, food security, and human health. The post-2020 global biodiversity framework is expected to be adopted during the second phase of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Montreal, Canada. It’s an ambitious plan for the next decade that will require decisive action to halt the dramatic loss of biodiversity and put it back on track for recovery.
As the host country of COP15, China places a high value on biodiversity conservation, adhering to the development of ecological civilization, accelerating the mainstreaming of biodiversity in all fields, and promoting ecosystem restoration and protection through the implementation of ecological protection projects and other measures. China has made significant contributions to biodiversity conservation.
China has promoted ecological progress and biodiversity protection, as Chinese President Xi Jinping stated via video link at the opening ceremony of the second phase of COP15. Many rare and endangered species have been effectively protected, and the ecosystem’s diversity, stability, and sustainability have continued to improve. We advocate for biodiversity conservation with Chinese characteristics.
The Chinese government is promoting Ecological Civilization (EC), which draws on the ancient Chinese concepts of “unity of nature and human” and “follow nature’s course” to explain human-nature interdependence. Ecological civilization must be integrated into economic, political, cultural, and social advancement. The principles of EC are consistent with the three CBD objectives, as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are compatible with the 2050 Vision of “living in harmony with nature.”
China supports conservation biology research, which could provide scientific and technological support for decision-making regarding biodiversity conservation and endangered species. Using multidisciplinary methods such as molecular biology and genomics, Chinese scientists discovered that in order to adapt to changes in feeding habits, giant pandas have undergone changes in morphology, behavior, genetics, and intestinal microbes, forming adaptive evolutionary mechanisms. To elucidate the endangered process and causes, population genomics was used to reconstruct the fluctuation and differentiation history of the giant panda population. The giant panda’s non-invasive genetic analysis system was established, and they were discovered to have high genetic diversity and stable population growth, indicating the giant panda still has evolutionary potential, which alleviates people’s concerns about the species’ future.
To aid in biodiversity conservation, China has established a system of wildlife protection and protected areas. China has established over 10,000 different types of protected areas, accounting for approximately 18% of its land area. In terms of ex-situ conservation, approximately 200 botanical gardens and 250 wildlife rescue and breeding centers have been established, covering more endangered species. Przewalski’s horse and Pere David’s deer, which were once extinct in China, have been reintroduced into the wild. Nearly 100 critically endangered wild plant species, such as Cycas debaoensis, have been protected, and approximately 120 rare plant species have returned to the wild. Flagship species such as the giant panda, snow leopard and crested ibis have recovered from the brink of extinction, with their IUCN Red List ratings downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable or from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
China has strengthened biodiversity mainstreaming and incorporated biodiversity into its overall economic and social development planning, ecological protection and restoration, land use, and special plans. China has prioritized biodiversity conservation, incorporating it into the 13th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2016-2020). In June 2021, China unveiled the “Master Plan for Major National Ecological System Protection and Restoration Projects (2021-2035),” a 15-year comprehensive plan for ecosystem management.
The main innovation is strictly adhering to the Ecological Conservation Redline (ECR). The ECR has been adopted and expanded to include the marine sector. The ECR has the potential to protect more than 95% of China’s most valuable ecosystems, 100% of plant and animal habitats under state key protection, 95% of the best natural landscape resources, the headwaters of 210 important rivers, and all ecologically fragile and ecological functional areas.
The international community can benefit from China’s biodiversity conservation practices. China remains committed to building a community with a shared future for humanity, participating in global biodiversity governance, and contributing to global ecological civilization and a shared future for all life on Earth.
