Recently, National Energy Administration has issued the Notice On the organization to be included in the second batch of national large wind power photovoltaic base projects focused on desert, Gobi and desert areas (hereinafter referred to as “Notice”), requiring provinces as the main body to promote the development and construction of large key photovoltaic base projects and reported by December 15.

After the release of the Notice, wide concern has been surged. Will the hasty construction ignore the biodiversity impact and risk prevention and control of the project construction and operation, and then bring adverse effects to China’s carbon peak, carbon neutral work?  Making these ecologically sensitive and fragile areas such as “desert, Gobi, desert areas” as the focus of the construction of large-scale wind power photovoltaic base,  will it lead to ecological damage, and thus affect ecological security?

In this regard, the Policy and Law Department of CBCGDF attaches great importance to this, and organized an expert seminar, focusing on new energy development and construction, biodiversity protection, dual carbon targets and other issues.

On the seminar, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of CBCGDF stressed that clean energy should follow the instruction of ecological civilization. Biodiversity should be taking into consideration.

Professor Cao Mingde of China University of Political Science and Law, Professor Gao Guilin of Capital University of Economics and Business, Professor Chen Haisong of Wuhan University, Professor Wang Shudong of the Aerospace Information Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Yang Chaoxia of Beijing Forestry University, Zhou Haixiang, member of the Expert Advisory Committee of the National Committee on Man and the Biosphere; Tao Siming, retired cadre of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment; Li Zhenwen, expert of the BCON Working Group of CBCGDF, and Zhao Yanshu, expert of the International Environment Facility of CBCGDF all shared their thoughts. Ma Yong, Deputy Secretary-General of CBCGDF was the moderator of this seminar.

The “double carbon” targets and biodiversity conservation need to go hand in hand. The coordinated development of the two is also an important part of the construction of ecological civilization.

The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued Opinions on Further Strengthening Biodiversity Protection, also clearly requires “ the evaluation of the impact of large-scale construction projects and resource development and utilization on biodiversity” and “taking the effectiveness of biodiversity protection as an important reference for comprehensive assessment and evaluation, accountability and off-office auditing of party and government leadership teams and leading cadres, and implementing lifelong accountability for those causing serious damage to the ecological environment and resources”.

According to the Policy and Law Department of CBCGDF, wind power and photovoltaic have often been considered in general terms as“clean energy”, however, their biodiversity footprint is often not fully considered. Estimates of the mortality of birds and bats caused by the construction of wind energy projects in North America show that the construction of 51,630 megawatts (MW) of installed wind energy capacity in the United States in 2012 has resulted in the deaths of 888,000 bats and 573,000 birds annually, including 83,000 raptors.

The Policy and Law Department of CBCGDF also submitted suggestions on the content of the “Notice” to the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other relevant departments. This meeting was also held as a series of meetings to widely listen to experts’opinions, discuss the sustainable development of clean energy projects and implement the national “double carbon” targets.

The Policy and Law Department of CBCGDF welcomes more inspiration from all walks of life.

Original Chinese article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ZgbTJIP3oBe5UvdwErJgAA

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