CBCGDF's Secretary-General Dr. Zhou Jinfeng was honored to receive Mr. John Scanlon, special envoy of African Parks and the former Secretary General of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and enjoyed a very inspiring and productive conversation. John shared African Parks' practices; and Dr. Zhou put forward that people's protection was the key to the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework.

John Scanlon was Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 2010 to 2018. Before joining CITES, he was Chief Adviser for Policy and Programmes and Head of the Strategy Implementation Team at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As a senior legal figure, he is very interested in issues such as China's Environmental Law. Dr. Zhou introduced the revised China's Environmental Protection Law, which came into effect in 2015, and the efforts of social organizations in environmental public interest litigation (EPIL).

In response to Mr. Scanlon's question "what do you think of the Post-2020 Biodiversity Conservation Framework", Dr. Zhou said that’s a great question. CCBCGDF has put forward ten proposals on Post-2020 Biodiversity Protection to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the most important of which is People's Participation.

Dr. Zhou went on to highlight the efforts of Chinese environmental volunteers with practical examples. Starting from Changyuan volunteers (Henan Province) protecting the endangered great bustard, he introduces why CBCGDF supports the community and local volunteers to make "Chinese Conservation Area" (CCAfa)-Protecting the ecological environment and filling the vacancy for existing reserve system anytime and anywhere without sticking to a fixed pattern is an innovation for natural protected area based on the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). From great bustard, relict gull, Henan Magugu Village, Acer pentaphyllum, Asian Black Bear to dark and starry sky, patrol along folk river, various CCAfa volunteers patrol to protect local biodiversity in recent years through removing bird net, collecting poison bait, fighting against poaching to protect the wild animals. They preach the positive significance of ecological environment protection in the community, actively cooperate with the local law enforcement agencies in anti-poaching, carry out training on wild birds rescue, cooperate with China's construction strategy of Eco-Civilization and take the initiative to contribute on the community level.

He also told the story of volunteers at CBCGDF Oppose Electric Fishing Union (OEFU). Electric fishing is rampant for a long time. There is law for fishing, but law enforcement force cannot keep up. In China, there is such a group of caring people, who contribute to the protection of aquatic animals anonymously. We call them "anti-electric fishing warriors". Many of them are fishing enthusiasts who hate the illegal electric fishing behavior which catches all fishes in one fell and make them die sonless. Therefore, they are fighting day and night on the front line against electric fishing, poisonous fishing, bomb fishing and other illegal fishing behaviors. These devoting volunteers overcome all kinds of difficulties in protecting aquatic life and stick to the belief that "anti-electric fishing stops only when electric fishing ends” and continue to protect fish resources. It is the efforts of volunteers that effectively promote the sustainable development of aquatic system. In last December, CBCGDF OEFU received a letter of thanks from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, which officially and highly affirmed the efforts and effectiveness of civil environmental volunteers.

People's participation has also played an important role in effectively combating illegal wildlife trade. Then Dr. Zhou introduced that the volunteers found and reported the cases of pangolin consumption such as "Pangolin Prince" and “Pangolin Princess" on the Internet. He also mentioned the work of CBCGDF in the "Turning Point Year of Pangolins". All these are efforts against the illegal trade and consumption of endangered wild animals. He asked about the current progress in sequencing the genes of eight species of pangolins around the world and consulted on international regulations and precautions.

When the two sides are discussing about the significance of an endangered species to ecosystems, a CBCGDF staff shared a story about Baiji dolphin. CBCGDF Enterprises Photography Nature Fund carried a scientific expedition in April 2018, to find the existence evidence of Baiji dolphin which once was declared as “functionally extinct”. The expedition aims at arousing people's attention to the eco-environment of the Yangtze River, where there are threats including various ways of illegal electric fishing form a great danger to the survival of Baiji dolphin and finless porpoise. The efforts of civil volunteers have issued to the government to take this problem seriously. Last week, the Yangtze River Marine Administration announced that it will cancel a ship berth in the Heishazhou waterway in Wuhu City, to eliminate potential pollution from ships to protect endangered Baiji dolphin and promote the construction of a beautiful Yangtze River.

Mr. Scanlan esteemed deeply the efforts of CBCGDF volunteers. He introduced the history, fields and conservation efforts of his current workplace, African Parks. The two sides had an insightful discussion on sustainable tourism and promoting sustainable livelihoods of communities through wildlife conservation. Dr. Zhou expressed his admiration for the remarkable achievements of African Parks in sustainable livelihoods and he looks forward to in-depth discussions in the future to introduce useful experience of “China Conservation Area for something at somewhere” (CCAfa).

They also shared the memory about a great friend of theirs, Dr. Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, who passed away the day before their meeting. Dr. Zhou mentioned that CBCGDF will always miss Dr. Bradnee and will continue to advance migratory species conservation.

Bradnee Chambers (first from the left) and Mr. Scanlon (second from the left) with two representatives from CBCGDF at a meeting in Manila, Philippines in 2017. Mr. Scanlon and Dr Zhou wept quite several times when they were reminiscing about Dr. Chambers.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4937/7445.html

By / Cynthia

Modified / Niu Jingmei