The EU-China Biodiversity Program was signed in Beijing on
Monday, with a commitment from the EU to donate 30 million euros to
help China reduce biodiversity losses.
"Biodiversity in China has both significance and considerable
local economic and cultural value," said Stavros Dimas, European
Commissioner for Environment, at the signing ceremony.
He said China is one of ten "mega-diverse" countries in terms of
biodiversity, with approximately 10 percent of all species.
Implemented mostly by the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the
State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), the five-year
program aims to support China in managing its ecosystem sustainably
and contribute to the implementation of international
conventions.
Its activities will mainly cover western and southern provinces,
focusing on desert, alpine and plateau, tropical and sub-tropical
and agricultural ecosystems.
"This is an unprecedented large scale government-led initiative
to address China's biodiversity conservation challenges," said
Alessandra Tisot, UNDP senior deputy resident representative in
China.
She said the UNDP would contribute US$500,000 to the program
with a total budget of close to 52 million euros.
"The Chinese government is committed to reversing biodiversity
losses in the country," said Zhu Guangyao, deputy director of the
SEPA, noting the program will help China develop capacity in the
regard and in fulfilling its obligations to international
environmental agreements.
(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2005)