A great Success! 44,300 People Participated in CBCGDF's Ramsar COP14 Side Event Online!
2022/11/15 16:41:00 本站

The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) of Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has taken place on Nov 5, 2022 in Wuhan (China) at the East Lake International Conference Center (ELICC) and Geneva (Switzerland) at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). As an observer to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) sent delegation to Geneva to participate the conference.

On November 12, 2022, the eighth day of Ramsar COP14, CBCGDF held a side event at CICG themed on “Ecosystem Conservation of Offshore Wetlands and coastline: Seagrass Beds and the Ecosystems They Support”, co-organized by IUCN Seagrass Specialist Group, Lijiang Teachers College, and International Engineering and Technology Institute. The side event was also supported by the secretariats of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Convention on the Protection of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, with a total of about 44,300 online participants.

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In the side event, experts discussed the topics related to the ecosystem conservation of offshore wetlands and coastal based on the case of seagrass beds and the ecosystems they support. The aim is to call attention on Ecosystem Conservation of Offshore Wetlands and coastline, to promote the management that protects seagrasses focusing on maintaining their biodiversity and the services these habitats provide for ecosystems, and to create opportunities to rebuild and restore seagrass beds.

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Mr. John Scanlon, CBCGDF international advisor, former Secretary General of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora chaired the side event.

Mr. Jay Aldous, Deputy Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands made an opening remark on site. He highlighted the important ecosystem services of coastal ecosystems, noting that they are being lost at an alarming rate in recent years—three times the rate of forest loss. He pointed out the importance of wetland conservation and restoration, including in terms of sustainable livelihoods, blue carbon sinks, and etc. He introduced the continuous efforts of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, especially the resolution on the "World Wetlands Day" officially adopted by the United Nations.

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In the conference, the expert of CBCGDF BCON Working Group shared the practice of wetland and waterbird conservation in China. From the perspective of how to promote the synergy between biodiversity conservation and climate change, the expert introduced the “Birds’ Guardian Grid Program” and successful cases for promoting the safeness of State Grid that are associated by CBCGDF and State Grid Corporation of China. Taking the State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Co., LTD as an example, the presentation analyzed the multi-stakeholders working together to promote a bird-friendly power model, which not only protects the migration and nesting problems of the wintering oriental white stork, but also protects the safety of power grid operation.

Mr. John Scanlon said it was a wonderful presentation and a great example of how we can put efforts into biodiversity conservation when making the provision of energy safe, and he said: our dear past good friend and colleague, Dr. Bradnee Chambers, would have been very happy to hear that presentation.

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Mr. Gabriel Grimsditch, Program Management Officer (Dugongs) of Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals Convention on Migratory Species, shared a Speech on the importance of seagrass for migratory species and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

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Prof. Jisong Wu, Director of Preparatory Committee of the China National Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecological Restoration, and foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science and Engineering, gave a presentation on Guangzhou Nansha Wetland Phase II Construction Planning in Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area. For the first time in the world, Prof. Wu proposed a scientific and comprehensive definition of wetlands based on years of innovative research. He introduced the successful experience and key technologies of China's wetland ecological restoration planning and emphasized that in order to cope with climate change, the issue of methane emissions from wetlands needs to be studied urgently, and China had actively carried out related work.

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Prof. Michael James Crabbe, Chair of International Engineering and Technology Institute, and Professor of Wolfson College, University of Oxford, delivered a presentation on the importance of Seagrass Beds and Coral Reefs in attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals. His presentation highlighted the connectivity of coral reef seagrass beds to mangroves. He demonstrated the dire effects of climate change on coral reefs around the world, noting that the three ecosystems together are more beneficial than their own. He also highlighted the importance of education and youth in developing cooperative civilizations in order to preserve our biodiversity and oceans by 2030.

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In addition, Ms. Yingjia Xiao, Switzerland Youth Representative of CBCGDF introduced the study work of CBCGDF in the field of population restoration of dugong, a rare marine species, and the restoration of the ecosystem on which dugong depends.

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Playback URL: https://ms.mbd.baidu.com/r/PEc91Jjeik?f=cp&u=9fdecd7a1c53a199

 

Original Chinese Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YyN94D4SLUeaEL5gYQ9PEQ

Translator: Sara

Checked by: Samantha

Editor: Samantha 

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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