15 March 2023|News
December 2022, the short video "Living Seeds and Resilient Bio-cultures, Coexistence of Naxi communities with Nature" jointly submitted by UNEP-IEMP and the Farmers' Seed Network won the third prize of "Short Video Competition of Public Participation COP15 Biodiversity Protection " from the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. This activity is part of the warm-up publicity work for the second phase of CBD COP15.
The video shows the practical process of the seeds protection and cultivation by Naxi communities since 2013. With technical and financial support from the Participatory Action Research team of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Farmers' Seed Network (FSN), the local seed protection team conducted action researches on agro-biodiversity conservation and utilization, and collected and registered traditional varieties a well as worked with scientists on Participatory Plant Breeding. A community seed bank was set up as a public space to facilitate seed and to promote knowledge exchange among villagers.
In 2018, with the support from the FSN and the Pan Third Pole Environmental Change and Green Silk Road Construction Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Stone Village, one of the Naxi communities, has become a demonstration site for sustainable livelihood improvement and green development, and then the Wumu, Youmi and Labo Villages. These four bioculture-linked villages called a Naxi Mountain Community Network, have inherited and carried forward the traditional bio-cultures, explored the joint efforts of scientists, governing bodies, NGOs and small-scale farming communities to protect and sustainably utilize biodiversity resources, improved the sustainable development model of community-based ecological culture, and realized the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
09 March 2023|News
On the morning of 8 March 2023, Ms. Xiufeng Wang, Deputy Mayor of Dongying City, led a delegation from Dongying Foreign Affairs Office to visit UNEP-IEMP and had a consultative meeting with Ms. Linxiu Zhang, Director of UNEP-IEMP and her team. They acknowledged the close cooperation between Dongying Municipal Government and UNEP since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in July 2020, in particular the successful organization of the World Estuarine Cities Conference for Cooperation and Development (WECC) in Dongying in November 2022, and looked forward to the regular organization of WECC with broader participation and impact in the future. They also discussed the expansion of the World Estuarine Cities Partnership, the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the organization of training on agricultural technology and green development, and the promotion of mutual visits between UNEP and Dongying. Prof. Zhigang Sun from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences was invited to attend the meeting and shared his experience and suggestions from the work at the Modern Agriculture Demonstration Zone of Dongying City.
22 December 2022|News
On 9 December 2022 local time, the "small farmers, farmer seeds systems and sustainability" side event was successfully held during the second phase of the CBD COP15 in Montreal. As the only side event touching on agro-biodiversity, it brought to the audiences’ experiences of nearly two decades of community-based farmer seed and food system initiatives on different continents and in different cultural contexts. It hopes to demonstrate the effectiveness of community-based conservation and farmer-led solutions to reverse the deterioration of genetic resources, biodiversity and ecosystem.
Dr. Linxiu Zhang, director of UNEP-IEMP, opened the event on behalf of the hosting organizations. She began with the importance of biodiversity in providing smallholder farmers with resilience to risk and ongoing adaptation to climate change, and how collective and transformative action is needed to build more resilient agri-food systems. She also stressed that the conference would be an open and inclusive platform crossing institutional and disciplinary boundaries and that exchanging practical experiences and innovative initiatives can facilitate better action for sustainable development.
Director Linxiu Zhang delivered an open remark
Dr. Yiqing Song, UNEP-IEMP researcher and founder of the Farmers' Seed Network, gave a keynote presentation emphasizing smallholder farmers as the fundamental actors in agriculture and in maintaining biodiversity and coping with climate change, especially with policy recognition and support.
In closing, the partners launch the "Joint Montreal Declaration of Supporting Small Farmers and Indigenous Communities" to promote multi-stakeholder exchange and cooperation in farmer seed systems enhancement for sustainable biodiversity and traditional knowledge conservation and utilisation for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity targets and SDGs.
22 December 2022|News
On 16 December 2022, during the CBD COP15-2, Dr. Linxiu Zhang, UNEP-IEMP Director was invited by the Global Energy Internet Development Cooperation (GEIDCO) to attend the side event on biodiversity and energy revolution.
On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme, Director Zhang jointly launched GEIDCO's report "Biodiversity and Revolution of Energy and Electric Power". During her address, Director Zhang reaffirmed UNEP's commitment to promoting the rational use of global resources and advancing environmental sustainability with coordinated responses and systemic solutions to tackle the world's three interrelated and mutually reinforcing planetary crises - biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental pollution. She pointed out that the large-scale development and use of fossil energy since the industrial revolution have contributed significantly to the climate and biodiversity crisis. From a global perspective, energy is on the front line of advancing biodiversity conservation, addressing climate change, and combating environmental pollution. Recognizing the intertwined nature of the environmental crisis and the interconnectedness of all the Sustainable Development Goals, we must embrace linked approaches and collective and transformative action to advance the energy and power revolution and ensure prosperity for all. She also called on all parties to build on the momentum and energy of successive COPs on climate change and biodiversity this year to link policy agendas and actions on the energy, biodiversity and climate nexus, stimulate public and private funding for bioenergy and bioeconomy, and build a multi-stakeholder platform to raise awareness, knowledge and capacity.
Representatives from China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Renmin University of China, World Resources Institute, US Environmental Protection Association, UNDP, World Economic Forum and others participated in the side event.
22 December 2022|News
On 14 December 2022, Montreal – side event "Ecological Civilization: Towards Harmony between Human and Nature" was successfully held at China Pavilion during the CBD COP15-2. Mr. ZHAO Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, Mr. David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary of CBD, and Mr. PAN Jiahua, Member of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences attended the opening ceremony. Dr. Linxiu Zhang, Director of UNEP-IEMP, shared good cases during the event.
In her presentation entitled "Ecosystem-based approaches for resilient livelihoods: evidence from developing countries", Director Zhang said that biodiversity and sustainable use are widely discussed nowadays, and people should be aware of the importance of synergies between "climate, ecosystems and livelihoods". She introduced UNEP-IEMP’s ongoing "climate, ecosystems and livelihoods" flagship program, which aims to improve human livelihoods through ecological restoration and provide better ecosystem service provisioning while adapting to climate change.
Using examples of "community-based fisheries in Nepal" and "smallholder seed systems from Naxi farmers in Yunnan", Linxiu demonstrated that active community participation and multi-stakeholder collaboration play a key role in achieving biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. She also emphasized that natural and human capital are fundamental factors in improving household livelihoods and achieving sustainable livelihoods, and that diversification of farming and non-farming activities can not only increase household livelihoods but also improve the ability of households to adapt to change.
She stated that the use of nexus approach requires multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral efforts by scientists, producers, consumers, practitioners and policymakers to link scientific knowledge to policy implementation. She concluded by emphasizing that women’s contributions to conservation efforts should be recognized and that women’s empowerment is a major key to success.
22 December 2022|News
Montreal, 14 December 2022 - Amid CBD COP15 negotiations, a side event "Recognizing and Managing the Value of Nature’s Contribution to People through Food Systems Transformation" highlighting making the economic case for pro-nature policies to achieve food systems transformation in the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and called for enhanced integration of nature’s value into post-2020 decision making. Public and private sectors from countries and regions voice their support for strengthening the recognition and management of nature’s contributions to people for sustainable and resilient agri-food systems in the post-2020 biodiversity conservation agenda.
"Food system transformation requires systems thinking and measurement and recognition of the true values and costs of public and private sector decisions that influence our food system" said Ms. Doreen Robinson, UNEP Principal Coordinator for Biodiversity and Land.
Mr. HUANG Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and President of CBDCOP15 stressed in his opening remarks that "inadequate recognition and measurement of biodiversity values is one of the major reasons leading to the continuous deterioration of biodiversity." He also mentioned China’s efforts in practicing the "Green is Gold" – a key development concept operationalizing Ecological Civilization and the country’s engagement with The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) program since its early years. "The notion that natural ecosystems and the services they provide have a ‘value’ is becoming increasingly popular in China, however, the understanding and application of the TEEB approach by some local governments is still limited to calculating astronomical numbers on the books" he added, "it is expected that UNEP will provide more guidance and suggestions on how to apply the TEEB method in specific areas and scenarios to make socio-economic activities more friendly to biodiversity."
Mr. HUANG Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and President of CBD COP15delivered an opening remark
Ms. Christianne van der Wal-Zeggelink, Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy of Netherlands pointed out that even in countries with very efficient agricultural systems like the Netherlands, biodiversity loss is still a challenge, so it is essential to promote a transition to more resilient food systems, and this requires a concerted effort and a balance between ecological, economic and social sustainability.
According to Mr. ZHANG Yaping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is important to "promote a sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems, protect biodiversity and restore degraded landscapes through a more systematic, comprehensive and scientific accounting of the costs and benefits of agricultural activities on nature".
Ms. Astrid Schmeiker, Director for Green Diplomacy and Multilateralism at the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Environment, presented the EU's many initiatives on biodiversity conservation, noting that the transition should involve every level and every individual, with a particular emphasis on recognizing the contribution of women and minorities to biodiversity conservation.
Representatives from governments, international organizations, academia, business, and civil society contributed vivid discussions and interactions around how making the economic case for pro-nature policies to achieve food system systems transformations is aligned with the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, including the need for metrics and framework, and challenges and opportunities ahead. The importance of accounting for positive and negative impacts and interactions in the context of food systems is repeatedly mentioned at the event given the fact that agriculture and food systems have a significant impact on nature, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the ability to sustain livelihoods.
The side event attracted more than 200 participants
The event was organized by UNEP, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the European Union, United Nations Environment Programme-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), and Capitals Coalition. It was attended by more than 200 participants on the site and more via the internet.
22 December 2022|News
12 December 2022, Montreal – side event "Exploration and Practice of Multi-stakeholder Participation in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use" was successfully held at China Pavilion during the CBD COP15 II part. It was co-hosted by Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (NIES), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme – International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and Eco-Environment & Health (EEH). Mr. ZHAO Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, Mr. David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary of CBD, and Mr. REN Hongqiang, Editor-in-Chief of EEH Journal attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks.
UNEP-IEMP Director Dr. Linxiu Zhang delivered a keynote speech entitled "Enhance multi-stakeholder cooperation and nexus approach for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use". In her speech, Linxiu pointed out that "climate, ecosystems and human society" should be considered as a coupled system, and all parties should actively use a nexus approach to realize multiple benefits, use their interactions to promote synergistic development, i.e., promote ecological restoration and better ecosystem service provisioning while adapting to climate change.
Dr. Zhang said the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework should strengthen multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral research, and to combine multi-stakeholder efforts and active collaboration with governments and non-governmental organizations. She also emphasized that empowering women and promoting gender equality are critical to achieving SDGs and central to goals such as eradicating poverty and hunger, improving education and health, combating climate change, addressing environmental issues and others.
Group photo of guests
22 December 2022|News
From December 11 to 12, 2022, the CBD COP15 parallel event, the 5th Scientific Forum organized by the CBD Secretariat and co-organized by the Chinese Society of Environmental Sciences (CSES), the United Nations Environment Programme-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), and the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), was successfully held in Montreal. The Forum aimed to provide a platform for scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders to discuss and make recommendations on how science, technology and innovation can contribute to the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Session " The role of the scientific community in the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework" was led by UNEP-IEMP in content and moderated by Dr. Linxiu Zhang, Director of UNEP-IEMP, who also delivered a presentation entitled "Strengthening the Role of Scientists, Communities and NGOs in the Implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework".
In the presentation, Director Zhang pointed out that in the context of the multiple challenges to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, climate-resilient development requires considering the climate system, ecosystems, and human society as coupled systems. By sharing case studies of agrobiodiversity conservation for resilient livelihoods in rural areas from Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and China, she emphasized the importance of women's empowerment and promoting gender equality, implementing nexus approaches and bringing together cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary efforts, community participation, combining traditional wisdom and modern science, and private sector involvement.
The venue for the forum
In the session, science and technology and innovation actors such as research institutions, universities and companies discuss best practices in STI collaboration and innovation for transformation from multiple perspectives, including biodiversity (wetlands/oceans) and food security. The outcomes facilitate decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of government and business actions, and provide scientific guidance to promote biodiversity mainstreaming and public participation mechanisms with a view to making contributions to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Negotiators and scientists from the COP, students from the Montreal area, and other COP participants, totaling more than 300 people attended the meeting on-site, and the forum provided a live online broadcast of the entire event, with a total of 1,930 online participants.
Group photo of sessionparticipants
20 December 2022|News
On December 16, 2022, Dr. Linxiu Zhang, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), was invited to give an opening speech at the Launch Event of Aral Sea Ecological Restoration Plan. This event was organized by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), together with partners from the Central Asia countries based on long term cooperation.
In her opening speech, Dr. Linxiu Zhang stated the vital role of ecosystem restoration and sustainable management to transform lives and economies while safeguarding the planet.She congratulated the launch of the Aral Sea Ecological Restoration Plan by all parties, and highly appreciated the invaluable experience for further South-South and triangularcooperation in the Aral Sea and the Central Asia region. She also reiterates the statement by UNEP that "the future of Aral Sea lies in transboundary co-operation" and encouraged more interdisciplinary research, cross-sector cooperation in the Aral Sea region.
Prof Chen Xi from the CAS Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia introduced the Aral Sea Ecological Restoration Plan, including the driving forces of Aral Sea shrink, its negative impacts and proposed interventions based on experiments and pilots. Water saving technologies were recommended for both development and ecological restoration, together with other biological- physical measures to recharge and restore the drying Aral Sea.
11 November 2022|News
On 10 November 2022, the World Estuarine Cities Conference for Cooperation and Development was successfully held in Dongying City, Shandong Province. The conference is co-sponsored by Shandong Provincial People’s Government, Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Yellow River Water Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources of China, and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). With the theme of "Embrace the Sea for a Shared Future", the conference aims to promote exchanges, mutual learning and cooperation among the world’s estuarine cities.
The conference consisted of an opening ceremony, a main forum and five parallel forums, among which the opening ceremony and the main forum were held in a hybrid format with in-person and online participants. Mr. Qingli Zhang, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Mr. Ganjie Li, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, attended and delivered speeches at the opening ceremony, witnessed by major government leaders of Shandong Province and Dongying City, diplomatic envoys of other countries in China, representatives of international organizations, and officials of the host organizations and partners.
Ms. Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems Division, addressed the opening ceremony on behalf of UNEP. She pointed out that estuaries were the rainforests of our ocean, and despite their importance, estuaries were on the front line of our triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and rampant pollution. She recommended we must support the global instrument to end plastic pollution, adopt the post 2020 global biodiversity framework, and stimulate public and private blue finance, so as to ensure economic circularity from source to sea and sufficient investment in nature-based solutions to protect estuaries.
Ms. Susan Gardner delivering video speech at the opening ceremony
The conference released several research outcomes and cooperation projects, announced the Dongying Initiative on Cooperation and Development of World Estuarine Cities and launched the World Estuarine Cities Partnership. As one of the co-organizers of the conference, Ms. Linxiu Zhang, Director of the UNEP-IEMP and her team attended the opening ceremony and the main forum online.
