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Preserving China’s biodiversity

15/05/2013

China has set out to address the rapid degradation of its ecosystems by recently starting to implement biodiversity protection policies. AFD is supporting these initiatives by financing projects to conserve fragile ecosystems, such as wetlands, while allowing China to benefit from French experience and expertise in this field.

Chine a “megadiverse” country where biodiversity is under threat
China is one of the 17 “megadiversity” countries, which alone hold two-thirds of the planet’s biological diversity. Indeed, the country covers seven climatic zones and has a rich variety of habitats. They shelter numerous species of plants and wild animals, accounting for one eighth of the total number of species in the world. However, the situation has now become critical, with a high biodiversity loss rate above the world average. The main causes are the ongoing changes in natural areas, pollution, overexploitation and the impacts of climate change.
Biodiversity protection policies are beginning to be implemented to tackle these challenges. This comes at a time when the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly took on board the need for Chinese society to develop towards an “ecological civilization”. Following its ratification of the International Convention on Biological Diversity, China adopted an action plan and biodiversity protection strategy, which have led to the creation of natural reserves and the identification of priority areas.

© Przemyslaw Szymon Bankiewicz

China’s wetlands, essential and especially vulnerable ecosystems
China’s wetlands account for 10% of all wetland areas in the world and cover 8% of the country’s territory. China is the largest country in Asia and 4th largest country in the world in terms of wetland areas. Wetlands are transition areas between land and sea and perform a variety of functions, which give them essential biological, hydrological, economic and sociological values. They hold 82% of the country’s freshwater resources and are home to over 11,000 plant and animal species. They are also the only migration route for a large number of waterfowl. China’s wetlands have been experiencing a very disturbing rate of degradation and loss over the last decades (13% of lakes lost, 23% of marshland and 51% of coastal wetlands). This has been caused by demographic pressure, urban sprawl and unfavorable political directions. China is a contracting party of the Ramsar International Convention for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It has 41 listed sites, including the Shuangtai estuary, which shelters the world’s largest reed bed.

© Przemyslaw Szymon Bankiewicz

Restoring the world’s largest reed bed area
The Shuangtai estuary, located in the Chinese province of Liaoning, shelters a reed bed area covering some 300,000 hectares. It is rich in biodiversity and acts as a refuge for the largest community of Saunder's Gulls. This area has deteriorated significantly in recent years due to human activities (agricultural development and oil drilling) and large-scale drying-up phenomena.
AFD is providing financing, via a EUR 35m loan allocated to the Chinese Ministry of Finance, to help preserve this estuary by rehabilitating water infrastructure and de-polluting oil extraction sites. The aim is to restore the hydrological functions of the reed beds.
The project also aims to develop ecotourism and diversify the reed sector.

© Przemyslaw Szymon Bankiewicz

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AFD’s activity in Asia increases by over 60% in 2012

18/12/2012

2012 is drawing to a close with sharp growth in AFD’s activity in Asia (+60%). This growth has been marked by a scaling up of action to fight against climate change. The identification of projects in new geographical areas gives a promising sign of new operations in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Climate issues the priority

• An overall growth in activities, highlighting the priority AFD gives to climate issues (over 70% of its activity). This is particularly the case in China and India, where its operations now come at no cost to the French Government and support global public goods and French influence.

• The first projects planned in new countries of operation, such as Bangladesh and Burma.

• Intense project identification activities in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

• A strengthening of AFD’s traditional partnerships in Asia (Asian Development Bank, JICA) and the launch of new partnerships scaling up AFD’s presence in the region. This concerns initial contacts with Korean and Australian cooperation and the first mobilizations of European financing under the investment facilities.

• The strong social, economic and environmental impact of the development programs that are implemented – particularly in China to rebuild Sichuan Province – with a focus on infrastructure, sanitation and renewable energy development (biogas via the development of biodigesters in China and India).

New objectives, new regions in 2013

• Implementation of AFD’s new strategy for operations in Asia for 2013-2015, based on support for sustainable development and economic diplomacy, which will subsequently be translated into country strategies (initially Indonesia, Vietnam, China and India).

• New growth in activity expected, particularly with the first operations in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

• The celebration of the 20th anniversary of AFD’s presence in Asia, which began with its operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR in 1993.