The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) was established in 1985, initially set to receive the gifts of dozens of Milu deers (Elaphurus davidianus) from the Duke of Bedford in the United Kingdom to China (Milu is a native species of China that had become locally extinct a hundred years ago). It was initiated and founded by three then vice-chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), forming the "China Milu Foundation," which later evolved into the predecessor of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation. In 1992, scientists from CBCGDF served as scientific advisors to the Chinese government, contributing their expertise to the negotiations for China's accession to the CBD Convention. Their valuable insights and knowledge played an important role in shaping China's approach to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
CBCGDF has long been committed to international cooperation, contributing the strength of Chinese social organizations to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Agenda. After 38 years of dedicated growth and progress, the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has emerged as a trailblazer among Chinese social organizations, extending its reach beyond national borders and actively participating in global environmental governance. Headquartered in Beijing, the Foundation has attained the status of an observer in some United Nations conventions, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as CITES, IPBES, and IPCC. Additionally, the CBCGDF holds accreditation as an organization with the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It has also secured membership in renowned bodies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Earth BioGenome Project, the Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN), among others. Supported by the People, CBCGDF consistently engages and contributes on the global stage, assuming an active role in advancing sustainable development for humanity and safeguarding the health and prosperity of our planet.
The vision of CBCGDF is to "Make this a better world for all life," as inspired by Dr Jane Goodall. Renowned international initiatives launched by the organisation including the "Clean Internet for Conophytum" campaign, the "Madagascar Crisis Aid" project, "Empowering Love for Pakistan" (a collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency to raise funds for sustainable livelihoods for refugees), the South-South Biodiversity Science Project (SSBSP), the "Ecological Belt and Road Initiative" (EBRs), the "Carbon Equality for All" advocacy, and the call for celebrities to "Stop Collecting Rosewood," among others.
Domestically, CBCGDF has three "hats": Firstly, it is a scientific association, being the only national-level society in China in the field of "biodiversity". The second role: it operates as a charitable organization and was among the first 16 national charitable organizations in China to receive recognition after the enactment of the "Charity Law" in 2016. Through crowdfunding initiatives, the Foundation has supported hundreds of Chinese NGOs and grassroots conservationists engaged in environmental protection efforts. Additionally, CBCGDF functions as a nationwide environmental social organization. Notably, its work in Environmental Public Interest Litigation has garnered widespread attention and advanced China's environmental governance process. By taking legal action, the Foundation has filed lawsuits against over 150 entities and individuals involved in pollution or environmental destruction, aiming to safeguard the public interest.
One prominent feature of CBCGDF is its focus on "the people." It considers itself to be "from the People, by the People, and for the People." For instance, one notable initiative under CBCGDF is the "Anti-electrofishing" volunteer network, consisting of 50,000 environmental volunteers. These individuals actively patrol river ecosystems and combat illegal fishing practices. In just 2018 alone, this volunteer network reported over 1,000 suspected cases of illegal fishing, accounting for 10% of the total cases handled by Chinese law enforcement authorities that year (11,000 cases). Through the collaborative efforts of civil society and the government, effective protection of the ecological environment is achieved.
As a nationwide social organization, CBCGDF boasts over 61 secondary or branch institutions as of April 2023. These include the Starry Sky Committee, the Bird Watching Committee, the Botanic Garden Committee, the Expert Committee, the Nature Reserve Committee, the Biology and Science Ethics Committee, the Legal Committee, the Green Business Committee, the Desert Committee, the Green Finance Committee, the University Student Development Committee, the Insect-watching Committee, the Standards Committee, and many others.
In terms of standardization, as of May 2023, the Standards Committee of CBCGDF has developed and released 38 National Group Standards, including "Biodiversity Investigation and Monitoring Standards" (T/CGDF 00001-2020), "Biodiversity Assessment Standards" (T/CGDF 00002-2020), "Biodiversity Restoration Standards" (T/CGDF 00003-2020), "Biodiversity Adaptation Guidelines" (T/CGDF 00008-2020), "Biodiversity Compensation Standards" (T/CGDF 00005-2020), and approximately 40 other national group standards. Currently, two experts from the organization serve as specialists in the International Organization for Standardization's Technical Committee on Biodiversity (ISO TC331).
Regarding academic publication platforms, the CBCGDF has two journals: "Xiaokang" magazine (CN: 11-5053/Z, international ISSN: 1672-4879) and the international journal "Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development" (ISSN: 2749-9065). Additionally, the organisation also supports of the publication of "BiodiversityMAG".
(updated: 2023-06-05)
Translator: Wendy
Editor：Daisy
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https://www.cms.int/en/news/cms-signs-first-partnership-agreement-chinese-ngo
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http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/NewsShow/5012/23548.html
Anti-electrofishing Networking: improved connectivity make a big difference for China's freshwater ecosystem
https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/anti-electrofishing-networking-improved-connectivity-make-big-difference-chinas
Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776
Contribution
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