On the afternoon of August 24, 2018, local time, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, the Secretary-General of CBCGDF, was invited to attend a conference entitled “Using Global Networking Solving Global Issues” held at the Long Island University Brooklyn Campus (LIU) during the interval at the 67th DPI/NGO Conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Participants included various types of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from more than 100 countries and regions around the world. Dr. Zhou delivered a keynote speech entitled “Innovative Approaches of Biodiversity Conservation – towards a Shared Future for Mankind” at the conference, which received enthusiastic response from the audience.
(Photo: CBCGDF)
As a leading NGO representative from China focuses on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, Dr. Zhou focused on the key work of CBCGDF and shared and interacted with participants in the form of stories. The first is the protection of the pangolins, the endangered species featured in CBCGDF’s work. At present, the Chinese pangolin, which used to exist widely in China, has been difficult to trace. In 2016, the CITES also listed all eight species of pangolins in the world in Appendix I, prohibited pangolin international trade. However, the smuggling of pangolins is still rampant internationally.
2017 is the “year of turning point” of pangolins the endangered species. CBCGDF focused on the way of mobilizing the protection strength of civil society in this year. Volunteers of CBCGDF who are not afraid of the difficult risks, have formed a huge cohesive force and made unannounced visits to the pangolin-consuming provinces in the traditional areas of China. At the same time, accompanied by the appalling exposure of the vicious incidents of eating pangolins, and the newly revised “Wildlife Protection Law”, the public’s awareness and conscience of protecting pangolins have been awakened. 2018 is “A Counting Year for Pangolins” of CBCGDF. CBCGDF will take stock of pangolins and their products that have been punishable by customs and other agencies in the past few years, and systematically understand their whereabouts and uses. The types and stocks of pangolin products currently being sold, the sales and sources of pangolins, and the number and changes of pangolins that have been in contact with wild animal rescue centers, breeding institutions, and scientific research institutions in the past, as well as the use of pangolins and their products in the field of Chinese medicine, all the information will be made available to the public.
(Photo: CBCGDF)
In China, it is difficult for the relevant departments to inquire about the handling and whereabouts of pangolin products. In February 2018, CBCGDF sent letters to Shanghai Customs, Shenzhen Customs and Northeast Forestry University to inquire about the subsequent storage and disposal of 15 tons of pangolin scales seized by Shanghai Customs and Shenzhen Customs in March and July 2017, but currently still not clear. In response to the information on the smuggling pangolins seized in Guangxi in August 2017, the relevant departments, including the Guangxi Terrestrial Wildlife Rescue and Epidemic Disease Detection Center, have not yet given a clear answer. The difficulty of protecting pangolins and the disclosure of information makes the pangolin, which is already fateful, still in jeopardy. But CBCGDF will also be determined to continue to protect the mammals suffer from being illegally trade the most severely in the world.
The exposure of the eating pangolins incident (Photo source: Internet)
At the China-Africa Wildlife Conservation Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, in June 2018, Dr. Zhou established cooperation with colleagues from the Pangolin Working Group in Africa. (Photo: CBCGDF)
As a member of IUCN’s WCPA, Dr. Zhou introduced to the audience another key work of CBCGDF, is the “China Conservation Area” (CCAfa) system that CBCGDF established innovatively with Chinese characteristics. Designed to protect biodiversity, the natural environment, resources and human heritage, encourages and supports local volunteers, civil organizations and communities to join, focus on public participation in the protection, and share public protection stories and experiences to promote mutual assistance and promotion of protection forces. CBCGDF has established more than 80 CCAfas in including Inner Mongolia, Tangshan, Tianjin, Shanghai, Ningbo, Tiaozini in Jiangsu, Xiong’an New Area, Xinjiang and other beautiful Chinese provinces and autonomous regions, covering the dark and starry sky, ancient cultural relics, wetlands, endangered species, Chinese gazelles, white pelicans, giant salamanders, pangolins, etc. CBCGDF emphasized that the “China Conservation Area of wetland at Tiaozini” should be included in the zone of “Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai, Gulf of China” on the UNESCO 2019 World Heritage nomination list. This issue is related to the development planning of coastal area in Jiangsu, China, which deserves a lot of reflection.
The CCAfa system has received the attention and support of international colleagues. The photo shows Dr. Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of CMS, at the "China Conservation Area for Waterfowl at Tangshan". (Photo: CBCGDF)
As a member of IUCN’s WCEL, Dr. Zhou also shared the efforts of CBCGDF in the field of environmental public interest litigation (EPIL). CBCGDF will shoulder the heavy responsibility of safeguarding the public interest through administrative and legal channels and is the guardian of green development. The legal approach means that CBCGDF will file an EPIL against environmental destroyers. As a national public welfare fundraising foundation, CBCGDF is also a leading environmental public welfare NGO that is at the forefront of social public interest and environmental rights. Since the implementation of the revised Environmental Protection Law in 2015, it has been committed to providing legal support for vulnerable groups. To protect public rights and interests while protecting the ecological environment. Up to now, the EPIL cases filed by CBCGDF have a wide range of social influences including: the Ancient Jujube Trees in Henan Province case, the Toxic Synthetic Running Tracks case and the Tengger Desert Pollution case. Internationally, experts in the field of EPIL and elites in the legal profession highly value the achievements of CBCGDF at this stage.
(Photo: CBCGDF)
At the end, Dr. Zhou also shared the progress of the “Global Green Design Conference” that CBCGDF will co-host in 2019. He talked about the survival of human beings that require the protection of renewable resources. People need to change the way of living and producing, change the way of thinking, and make more green, ecological, and sustainable design ideas into more people’s awareness and promote sustainable development. Welcome more international colleagues, organizations to provide suggestions and build a platform for the global green design conference, which will help China participate in global ecological governance and promote the building of a shared future for mankind.
(Photo: CBCGDF)
Dr. Zhou’s authentic speech won the participants’ applause and won high praise from the organizers. In the meantime, Dr. Zhou also met with an old friend, Professor C.S. Kiang, the Chairman of the Peking University Environment Fund and the Founding Dean of the College of Environmental Sciences at Peking University. As members of the world’s top think tank the Club of Rome, Dr. Zhou is working with Professor Kiang and many other international colleagues on the concept of “Zero Carbon City” for another round of heated discussion.
With Prof. C.S. Kiang (middle)
(Photo: CBCGDF)
(Photo: CBCGDF)