China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) is a Chinese state-backed environmental organization that works to protect the environment, and preserve natural resources and biodiversity in China. It was established in 1985 as the China Milu Foundation and is registered by the China Association for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
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Formation | 1985 |
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Founders | Lu Zhengcao, Qian Changzhao, and Burhan Shahidi |
Focus | Environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development |
Headquarters | Haidian, Beijing, China |
Official language | Chinese |
Key people | Hu Deping (President), Zhou Jinfeng (Secretary General) |
Affiliations | China Association for Science and Technology |
Website | www |
Formerly called | China Milu Foundation |
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation | |||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 中國生物多樣性保護與綠色發展基金會 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 中国生物多样性保护与绿色发展基金会 | ||||||
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Alternative Chinese name | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 中國綠發會 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 中国绿发会 | ||||||
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History
The foundation was founded in 1985 by Lü Zhengcao, Qian Changzhao and Burhan Shahidi, the former vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, to support the breeding and popularization of endangered Père David's deer species which was reintroduced back to China at that time. And it has worked since then on a number of resource management, environmental protection and conservation projects across China. Hu Deping is the current chairman of the foundation and Zhou Jinfeng, former deputy head of the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department, is its secretary general.[1][2]
Approach
The foundation is involved in conservation efforts in a number of ways.[3] It engages in lobbying the conservation work to community level through its Community conservation Areas (also called CCAfa) which it established in the April 2016 having till date over 100 CCAfas in China,[4] yet in some cases criticized as non-official. It has a number of educational initiatives to raise awareness of Environmental issues in China and to encourage sustainable practices.[5][6] It works with schools and with a large network of wildlife volunteers through local initiatives in target areas to ensure safe flyways for migratory birds.[7][8] The NGO labels itself as grassroots-based, and the working system sometimes bring troubles to the Beijing-based NGO.[9][10][11][12]
Its scientific staff is engaged in research and management plans in reserve wildlife habitat across the country. It also advises industry and government bodies on sustainable development and environmental impacts for their projects in several cities in China.[13]
Species conservation
Endangered species the foundation focuses on include pangolin,[14] great bustard,[15] Yangtze River dolphin,[16] bluefin tuna,[17][18][19][20] acer pentaphyllum, etc. It is reported that the fierce battle between the foundation and the Guangxi Forestry Department opened a new reform for China's wildlife rescue system.[14][21][22]
Environmental public interest litigation
On the path of safeguarding public interests, since the revision of China's new Environmental Protection Law (2015) [23] giving non-governmental organizations the right to sue polluters on behalf of the public, the foundation has lawsuits against polluters and habitat destroyers causing harm to the environment and the people and wildlife living around it.[24] Famous cases include the lawsuit against Tengger Desert Pollution,[25] the litigation against oil giants ConocoPhillips and CNOOC over Bohai Bay oil spill,[26] and to protect old red willows from a hydropower project,[27] on old date trees,[28] to safeguard cultural and historic relics,[29] to protect Giant Panda, on poisonous school running tracks,[30][31] and the failed Changzhou School case,[32][33] etc.
Cultural field
The Foundation also promotes eco-tourism and faith-based conservation[34] with the goal of expanding awareness of the countries natural resources and also creating economic incentives for a continued and expanded preservation.[35]
Partnerships
The CBCGDF has partnerships and international collaborations with a number of international environmental groups such World Wildlife Fund (WWF), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), CITES and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2016, it signed a partnership agreement with the CMS making it the first Chinese organization to be partners with the CMS and in the process it also establish an initiative called the Ecological Belt and Road Initiative.[36]
References
- "China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation". cbd.int. United Nations Decade on Biodiversity.
- Jirouš, Filip (September 9, 2022). "Make the Green Serve China: PRC Influence Operations Target International Environmentalism". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
- "A changing China in a changing world and a changing climate from the perspective of a Chinese non-governmental organization - Ecology and Jesuits in Communication". www.ecojesuit.com. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ""中华保护地"简介20180125- 中国生物多样性保护与绿色发展基金会". www.cbcgdf.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "The birds in lovely Dalian sky". The Statesman. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- Exhibition of 19th Century Bird Art Opens In Beijing https://birdingbeijing.com/2017/04/03/exhibition-of-19th-century-bird-art-opens-in-beijing/
- World Migratory Bird Day:Stories from China https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/sites/default/files/World%20Migratory%20Bird%20Day%20Stories%20from%20the%20CBCGDF_20170510.pdf
- "Governments unite to conserve the world's heaviest flying animal". National Geographic Society Newsroom. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Environmental Whistleblower Gets Prison Sentence". Sixth Tone. July 12, 2018. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Detained Chinese Environmental Worker Released After Public Outcry". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Environmental Whistleblower Sues Police for Unlawful Detention". Sixth Tone. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Administrative detention of environmental protection worker Lei Ping officially withdrawn". chinadevelopmentbrief.cn. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Citizens Hope to Make a Big Difference at China's Top Political Meet-Up". Time. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- Denyer, Simon (July 21, 2018). "China's push to export traditional medicine may doom the magical pangolin". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "IISD/ENBOTS @ CMS COP12 - 23-26 October 2017 - Manila, PH - IISD Reporting Services". enb.iisd.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Hope prevails for the baiji dolphin's comeback". Xinhua. 2018-05-08. Archived from the original on 2018-05-08. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Chinese NGOs Call Out WWF for Greenwashing Fishy Business". Sixth Tone. June 13, 2017. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Bluefin tuna: a recipe for disaster?". China Dialogue. 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Vibrant Environment". Environmental Law Institute. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "CEC Talks Nature - Saving Endangered Bluefin Tuna from Extinction: The Efforts". cectalksnature.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "Conservationists Push China on Pangolin Protection". Caixin. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "'Pangolin Banquet' Official Sentenced to 10 Years for Unrelated Charges". Caixin. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- 中华人民共和国环境保护法(自2015年1月1日起施行) http://bz.zhb.gov.cn/gzfw_13107/zcfg/fl/201605/t20160522_343393.shtml Archived 2018-10-27 at the Wayback Machine
- "Environmental public interest litigation in the Qingdao maritime courts". 26 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2018-10-07. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- "A Key Victory for Citizen Suits in China". Environmental Law Institute. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Chinese Eco Group Files Landmark Marine Pollution Lawsuit". Offshore Energy. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Qinghai to relocate 'red willow' for hydropower project". China News Service. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Governments Fined $555,000 for Killing 500-Year-Old Trees". Sixth Tone. December 29, 2017. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Demolishing Dalian: China's 'Russian' city is erasing its heritage – in pictures". The Guardian. 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- Guo, Owen (2016-06-23). "China Vows to Replace 'Poisonous' Running Tracks at Schools". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "A Win for Kids and the Environment in China". Environmental Law Institute. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- Lai, Catherine (2017-01-27). "NGOs lose lawsuit against polluting chemical plants allegedly responsible for sick children at prestigious Changzhou school". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "Changzhou pollution scandal highlights holes in China's environmental enforcement". China Dialogue. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- Service, Catholic News. "Laudato Si' inspires Catholic entities to divest from fossil fuels". www.catholicregister.org. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "A changing China in a changing world and a changing climate from the perspective of a Chinese non-governmental organization - Ecology and Jesuits in Communication". www.ecojesuit.com. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- "CMS Signs First Partnership Agreement with Chinese NGO - CMS". www.cms.int. Archived from the original on 2017-10-21. Retrieved 2018-07-11.