27 April 2022|News
Organized by the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center/Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center under the guidance of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, this roundtable dialogue aimed to strengthen Lancang-Mekong countries’ policy exchange aswell as the mainstreaming of sustainable infrastructure policies and investments to facilitate theimplementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The roundtable dialoguewould also help develop the Lancang-Mekong Knowledge Hub for Low-carbon, Green andSustainable Infrastructure and promote low-carbon development in the Lancang-Mekongregion. It was participated by more than 100 participants from the governments of the Lancang-Mekong countries, UN agencies, international organisations, private sector and academia.
Ms. Tatirose Vijitpan, Focal Point of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Portfolio, gave presentation under "Session 2: Ecological Infrastructure Supports CommunitySustainable Development in the Lancang-Mekong Region". Her presentation titled"Regional Perspectivesand Actions on the Ground: Integrated Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods", gave the regional view of the significant issues in the region related to ecosystem management and sustainable livelihoods that UNEP-IEMP have been contributing to address. Particularly, it highlights the ongoing"Improving Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods in Cambodia and China within the Framework of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Project", financed by the UNEP-China Trust Fund Phase 2, that UNEP-IEMP is in charge of knowledge generation, capacity building, and – in collaboration with Ministry of Environment, Cambodia – pilot activities in Phnom Kulen National Park, Siem Reap province.
Lancang-Mekong Roundtable Dialogue on Green, Low Carbon and Sustainable Infrastructure was held online
06 April 2022|News
Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation (EbA South, 2013-2020) has been selected by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to present its story, successes and lessons learned as aGood Practice Briefof GEF-funded project. The GEF secretariat has selected it from several nominations by various GEF agencies, taking into consideration approaches used to generate multiple global environmental benefits and co-benefits, and to achieve clear results and/or sustainability. This is also the first GEF brief ever written onEcosystem-based Adaptation (EbA).
The project was funded by the GEF Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) as a flagship initiative for South-South Cooperation, enabling an exchange of technology transfer, capacity building, policy support and fundraising between countries in the Global South. The project catalyzed global and regional collaboration on EbA, especially sharing China’s experience and research know-how in ecological restoration and climate change adaptation. Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation were piloted in key vulnerable ecosystems, i.e. deserts in Mauritania, mountains in Nepal, and coasts in the Seychelles. Moreover, the project has brought about positive impacts with legacy in the pilot countries and beyond, including Mekong EbA South.
This Good Practice Briefshares EbA South`s invaluable experiences on the two key features, namely EbA interventions for technology transfer and long-term research, and South-South Cooperation for knowledge exchange and capacity building. It also captures EbA South’s lessons on science-based interventions, adaptive management, documentation of EbA interventions, and professional interpreters for cross-culture learning.
As a next step, theGEF secretariat is planning for a webinar to introduce the features and lessons learned from EbASouth to other countries and GEF agencies for their future and ongoing projects.
UNEP-IEMP, as the project management unit, would like to thank our project team, steering committee and partners for all the dedication from the beginning till the end of project, plus follow-up activities and initiatives derived from the EbA South. We are also very appreciative of the GEF secretariat’s recognition of its success.
24 March 2022|News
The online kickoff meeting for the UNEP-NSFC Joint Research Project "Optimization and adoption decision-making of agricultural management practices for mitigating N2O emissions in upland farming systems in China and Kenya" was held on 18 March, 2022, signifying the official launch of the five-year project. Led by chief investigators Prof. Yong Li of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAP, CAS) and Mr. Mahesh Pradhan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the project brings together researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP, CAS), the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture (ISA, CAS), the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR, CAS), UNEP, and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI, CGIAR).
This collaboration is intended to strengthen the existing research network between CAS and UNEP, use global databases of N2O emissions from upland farming systems to systematically study the key impact factors, mitigating tactics, and climate-smart N2O mitigating practices, and develop feasible N2O mitigating solutions as well as adoption decision-making in Africa and China. Key results will contribute to more sustainable N management practices (UNEA Resolution 4/14) and Goal 13 (Climate Action) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the meeting, Prof. Yong Li and Mr. Mahesh Pradhan gave brief overviews of the research background and stressed the importance of collaboration among the research teams. A preliminary timetable for the main activities was also discussed.
08 February 2022|News
On 28 January 2022, UNEP-IEMP participated in the 1stExtended Partners' Meeting of the "Improving Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods in Cambodia and China within the Framework of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Project", financed by the UNEP-China Trust Fund Phase 2.
This project is jointly implemented by UNEP-IEMP, UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP headquarters (Ecosystems Division) and Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Centre (LMEC). Under this project, UNEP-IEMP is in charge of the regional activities related to knowledge generation and capacity building. Besides, UNEP-IEMP collaborates with the Ministry of Environment, Government of Cambodia, in piloting of ecosystem management and local livelihoods improvement interventions at the Phnom Kulen National Park, along with associated consultation and capacity building activities.
1stExtended Partners' Meeting was held online
The meeting was the first gathering of all the project’s core teams and extended partners from Cambodia and China to present their plan and progress so far, as well as to discuss the synergies and next steps. Ms. Tatirose Vijitpan, Focal Point of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Portfolio, gave presentation on the activities implemented by UNEP-IEMP and linkages with activities of other teams.
13 December 2021|News
On the afternoon of 10 December 2021, a closing workshop of the project on "Assessment and Adaptive Management of Habitats for Siberian Cranes in the Yellow River Delta" was held online. The project team of UNEP-IEMP and experts from research institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing Forestry University and Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve Management Committee attended the meeting. Su Baogan, Director of Dongying Foreign Affairs Office facilitated the meeting.
Dr. Chao Fu, Head of UNEP-IEMP’s Research Unit, introduced the project activities and achievements made so far. Since August 2020, the project team conducted literature review, field investigation, interpretation of remote sensing images, and household interviews to analyze the behaviors and awareness of the residents for the conservation of birds in the Yellow River delta, evaluate the current situation of habitats for Siberian Cranes in the Delta, zone the habitats in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve preliminarily, and point out the issues that need attention in the future study. The study report prepared by the project team provides a management strategy and suggestions on how to improve the monitoring and investigation system on birds and wetlands in the Reserve, improve the habitat quality and resilience of important habitats for Siberian Cranes, and strengthen the communication and contact between the Reserve and surrounding communities.
A panel of experts reviewed and made comments on the study report. They agreed on that through the analysis of field survey data, the report confirms a significant increase in the number of Siberian Cranes in recent years and mapped their distribution area in the Reserve, which provides reference for subsequent monitoring and conservation. The preliminary zoning of habitats for Siberian Cranes in the Reserve can be also used as a reference for habitat restoration and management in the future. The analysis of the relationship between residents’ livelihood activities and bird conservation provides a new perspective for strengthening the balance between conservation and development. The proposed management strategy and suggestions will provide support for improving wetland ecosystem functions, promoting biodiversity conservation, and building the Yellow River Estuary National Park.
Dr. Linxiu Zhang, Director of UNEP-IEMP, stressed that the project provides a foundation for future research and conservation work and looks forward to working with partners to promote the project as a successful example and epitome of biodiversity conservation in the Yellow River Delta.
Experts, project team and other stakeholdes participated the online workshop
03 November 2021|News
UNEP-IEMP compiled "BRI Case Studies Report on Biodiversity Conservation" was released during the Roundtable on BRI Green Development and BRIGC Policy Studies Release 2021 on Oct. 26, 2021.
This Roundtable event was co-hosted by Ministry of Ecology and Environment of P. R. China, and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, and organized by BRI International Green Development Coalition. The Roundtable event was opened by Mr. Huang Runqiu, Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of P. R. China, and Ms. Grace Fu, Minister of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore. Dr Linxiu Zhang presented the report at the Roundtable.
The "BRI Case Studies Report on Biodiversity Conservation" was led by UNEP-IEMP and funded by Ministry of Ecology and Environment of P. R. China, and supported by partners including WWF, Conservation International, International Union for Conservation of Nature. Through extensive review on global database, 12 cases were selected which include the China Ecological Conservation Red-line policy, conservation corridors of the Greater Mekong Subregion, ecological restoration of the African Great Green Wall, blue carbon insurance and ecological compensation in coastal countries like the Philippines, deforestation-free supply chain in Gabon, organic agriculture in Laos, genetic resources sharing and women empowerment in China and other countries, climate change adaptation in the Loess Plateau Region of China, and ecological poverty reduction in the Karst area of Southwest China. These cases were analyzed towards achieving better co-benefits, partnership inclusiveness, sustainability and transferability, and political buy-in.
Dr.Linxiu Zhang presenting the report
For more about the report, please refer to
http://en.brigc.net/Reports/Report_Download/2021/202110/P020211025597584872005.pdf
31 October 2021|News
On October 28, Dr. Linxiu Zhang was invited as a panellist at a live debate organized by Friends of Europe to discuss the outcomes of the first part of the CBD COP15, and look ahead to what Europe and Asia can do together as they look to protect and promote global biodiversity.
The debate began with opening remarks by Mr. Zhang Ming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to EU. Dr. Linxiu Zhang first shared her observation on the outcomes of CBD COP15 Part One and remain optimistic when looking ahead. She then made interventions on what are areas of priorities for Europe and Asia to work together ahead of the main Conference of the Parties. She emphasized that promoting synergistic action for biodiversity, climate, land and oceans, and livelihoods is very important because Earth’s environmental emergencies and human well-being need to be addressed together to achieve sustainability. The development of goals, targets, commitments and mechanisms under multilateral environmental agreements and their implementation need to be aligned to become more synergistic and effective. The change should be geared with a range of actions that can simultaneously enhance biodiversity and deliver economic prosperity. She also emphasized that supporting community participation and women’s empowerment should also be made as a priority. Indigenous people and local communities contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through the application of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices, and through the stewardship of biodiversity on their traditional lands and territories.
Director Linxiu Zhang (top 1 from the left side in the picture) sharing her opinions on the debate
This discussion is part of Friends of Europe’s discussion series on Europe-China Dialogue which sets within a broader Europe-Asia dialogue. For watching the livestream, please visit Friends of Europe’s website at http://www.friendsofeurope.org/.
28 October 2021|News
On October 21, 2021, Ms. Tatirose Vijitpan, Climate Change Adaptation Specialist and Focal Point of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Portfolio, UNEP-IEMP, gave a lecture for the Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices, under the Graduate Institute - Geneva (IHEID) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).
Under the topic of "Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA): principles and applications in the Mekong and other regions", her talk covered the background of EbA, its key principles, benefits and co-benefits, examples of EbA initiatives, how to conduct EbA interventions, challenges, among others. Examples and lessons from the "Ecosystem-based Adaptation through South-South Cooperation (EbA South)" project that UNEP-IEMP served as the project management unit during 2013-2020 were also shared. The lecture was well-received, with various pertinent questions from the students as well as interest of application of some of the EbA South knowledge products.
Ms. Tatirose Vijitpan from UNEP-IEMP (top 1 in the picture) giving lecture on Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)
UNEP-IEMP promotes institutional cooperation in the Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CEL) areas in developing countries. This lecture served as a good opportunity to share the lessons learned from UNEP-IEMP’s project implementation process and enhanced the potential of future collaboration between institutions.
For more information, please contact Tatirose Vijitpan, tatirose.vijitpan@unep-iemp.org.
19 October 2021|News
14-15 October 2021, Ecological Civilization Forum held successfully during the first part of the UN Biodiversity Conference COP 15. About 2000 participants from across the globe joined the Forum, on-site and on-line, exchanging views and ideas on enhancing biodiversity conservation for a bright future of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
The Ecological Civilization Forum is divided into 3 parts: opening ceremony, 7 breakout thematic forums and closing ceremony. Susan Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Divison UNEP, pointed out during her speech at the opening that "an ecological civilization defies time; if we are to ensure a sustainable future for all, then raising ambition for nature and delivering on this ambition must be a top priority."
Susan Gardner delievring opening address at the ECF
UNEP-IEMP, together with Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association and Research Institute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences co-hosted Thematic Forum 3: Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets: from Concept to Practice. China’s concept of "Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets" and the practice of the Green to Gold transformation are a common topic of concern for the participants. Mr. ZHAO Yingmin, Vice Minister of MEE China, Mr. REN Junhao, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, Mr. WANG Linggui, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Ms. Doreen Robinson, Head of Biodiversity and Land UNEP and Ms. Diane Holdorf, Managing Director of WBCSD gave opening speeches at the thematic forum.
Twenty guests from international organizations, academic institutions, local governments, NGOs and enterprises discussed in depth and offered suggestions through keynote speech and dialogues. A total of about 400 online and offline representatives attended the thematic forum.
Dr. Linxiu Zhang, Director of UNEP-IEMP made a keynote speech on Promoting Synergies in Addressing Challenges of Climate Change, Ecosystem Degradation and Livelihoods: Experiences and Implications. She stressed that the interconnected nature of the UN SDGs and challenges in achieving these goals. In particular, the vicious cycle of ecosystem degradation, climate change and poverty that developing countries are facing will need the application of system thinking and integrated approach to address trade-offs and stimulate synergies. She presented the effectiveness of the integrated approach derived from the UNEP "Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods" Flagship Programme in addressing such issues, suggesting the development of green livelihoods as a means of mainstreaming natural capital by integrating biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration while addressing the impact of climate change.
As the only parallel event held offline during the first part of COP 15, the one-and-half-day event delivered more than 10 outcomes. In the closing session, all delegates jointly released the initiative for "Protecting Biodiversity for a Shared Global Ecological Civilization", calling on all parties to uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, work together and take action to build a beautiful world in harmony with all things.
23 August 2021|News
On August 13, 2021, supported the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Belt and Road International Alliance for Green Development, the mid-term consultation meeting of"Key Biodiversity Areasalong the Belt and Road: Identification and Risk Control of ‘No-go Areas’ Project hosted by United Nations Environment Programme - International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP- IEMP) was successfully held online. Professionals from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China Construction Bank, China International Contractors Association and other organizations, stakeholders and project team participated the meeting, Ms. Wang Guoqin, Officer of the UNEP-IEMP Project Unit, moderated the meeting.
Figure 1 Project mid-term consultation meeting was held online
Dr. Zhang Linxiu, Director of the UNEP-IEMP, pointed out that "biodiversity" is one of the three major environmental issues in the world today. In the context of the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China’s strengthening cooperation with countries along the route, it is tiem to pay more attention to the impact of project development activities on biodiversity conservation. And biodiversity conservation becomes an inevitable requirement for China's green development goal from overseas investment projects.
Ms. Liu Ying, Acting Director of the Green BRI Project, WWF Beijing Representative Office, briefly introduced the development background and the project areas of WWF. She gave a comprehensive and systematic explanation of the project from the perspectives of its background and goals. Ms. Liu also highlighted that this guideline refined and confused previous work would well satisfy various biodiversity conservation needs and requirements by all professionals and trades. Mr. Tian Fang, Deputy Director of the Belt and Road International Alliance for Green Development of the Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, introduced the work and the partnership of the organization.
Project leader Dr. Xu Xiangbo presented the project background, objectives, tasks, mid-term progress, next stage work plan. Based on the background and specific objectives of the project, Dr. Xu elaborated the various documents from different institutions that the draft guideline cited, referred and verified, and showed the research methods used in the guideline, then introduced the future work plan of the project.
During the discussion, the consultants conducted extensive discussions on the draft of the guideline, future work plans, and the presentation of results. Professionals from different fields offered their advices on the guideline’s framework, targets, application scenarios, the tools, and some related problems.
In order to satisfy the biodiversity conservation practical needs during the period of their projects development, this project is committed to proposing feasible methodologies to identify a potential "No-go zone". By helping corporations, financial institutions, decision-makers and other stakeholders to take adequate risk control and mitigation measures, this project aims to decrease the impact of infrastructure investment and construction on Key Biodiversity Areas, to reduce unnecessary losses to the implementing entities, and ultimately effectively implement the Green BRI development concept.
