On November 7-9th, 2023, UNEP-IEMP together with the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) organized the 13th Chinese-German Workshop on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the 2nd Workshop for Young Researchers: “Implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Enhancing Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions through Forest and Wetland Restoration” in Hainan Province, China.
This workshop exchanged experiences from China, Cambodia, Germany, Kenya, Nepal, and Thailand on Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) implementation, focus on targets 2 of restoring 30% global degraded ecosystems. The workshop gathered over 60 on-site and on-line participants from UN organization, governments, science community, and NGOs. There is focused exchange on forest and wetland ecosystem restoration, its experiences, lessons and key challenges under climate change impact.
The UNEP-IEMP director Dr. Linxiu Zhang gave an opening remark by emphasizing on the role of science for the GBF implementation. Ms. Guoqin Wang shared a presentation on “South-South Cooperation on ecosystem restoration: actions and implications”, which elaborated restoration experiences and lessons from the Greater Mekong Sub-region and the Africa Great Green Wall initiative in the Sahel region.
Guoqin Wang presenting experiences on South-South cooperation
The workshop discussion covered issues like complex linkages of climate change, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation, roles and perspectives of different stakeholders on restoration, and effectiveness of restoration efforts. There were also two group discussions on challenges for future biodiversity conservation and policy &research gaps under the GBF implementation, multiple benefits of ecosystem restoration. Field tours at the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and the Dongzhaigang Mangrove Nature Reserve were organized to exchange experiences.
Group photo at the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park
