On August 17th, the 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (hereinafter referred to as “CITES CoP18”) was held in Geneva, Switzerland. The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) sent the delegation to the conference and the first side event on the theme of “Infrastructure and Wildlife” was successfully held that afternoon.

During the side event, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of the CBCGDF; Dr. Alice Catherine Hughes, Deputy Secretary-General of the CBCGDF; Ian Redmond, Representative from International Primate Protection League (IPPL) and Chair of the Ape Alliance, as well as many other scholars and experts gave important reports and jointly discussed the theme on infrastructure and wildlife.

In the thematic report, the CBCGDF’s representative introduced to the participants the background and basic work of the CBCGDF, and also highlighted the work and initiatives of the CBCGDF in strengthening the construction of Internet infrastructure. In addition to the “hard” infrastructure such as railways, bridges and dams, the CBCGDF believes that in order to promote biodiversity conservation, attention should also be paid to the construction of “soft” infrastructure such as the Internet, including strengthening the supervision of e-commerce platforms, incorporating e-commerce legislation into “biodiversity conservation” and enhancing social corporate responsibility. Secretary-General Zhou Jinfeng believes that in addition to promoting the use of green and clean energy, infrastructure projects should take full account of local ecologically sensitive areas. He also supplemented the case about Acer pentaphyllum and “China Conservation Area for Acer pentaphyllum at Tianshui (CCAfa) in Sichuan Province” established by the CBCGDF; the case about the withdrawal of permits for the old town 1050MW coal-fired station project in Kenya. From the perspective of NGOs in China to share China’s deep involvement in global environmental governance, and to discuss with the relevant institutions and experts around the world that how to pay more attention to the infrastructure construction in wildlife conservation and how to effectively promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation.

Dr. Alice Hughes delivered a keynote speech entitled "Infrastructure and Wildlife: Mitigating Threats to Species Loss, which introducing the current situation of global infrastructure expansion and how to minimize the impact of infrastructure on the ecological environment. The feasible measures include: (1) avoiding key regions: pay more attention to diversity, uniqueness, and risk; the fragmented habitats; the preservation of complete native habitats; (2) local-level efforts: for instance, careful planning and link restoration of fragmented areas. Infrastructure strengthens the local links, but it also makes illegal trade in wildlife easier.

Ian Redmond introduced in his speech that he was a representative of the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) and the chair of the Ape Alliance (which consists of nearly 100 NGOs dedicated to ape conservation and rescue) and he is also an independent wildlife biologist specializing in primates and elephants as well as an ambassador to the United Nations Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). Subsequently, he shared information about the Apes Alliance’s involvement in a $1.9 million hydropower project against a large state-owned bank in China that funded Sumatra, Indonesia. Previously, the project was controversial because it threatened one of the world’s rarest and endangered species Pongo tapanuliensis, and this bank has now planned to review the funding of the Sumatra Dam where the Pongo tapanuliensis conservation area locates.

This side event has received the support of the Chinese Association of Science and Technology (CAST) for the participation of young scientists in international organizations and related activities in 2019. Sincerely appreciated for the support from the CAST!

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4937/9630.html

By / Xue Tongtong