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Accelerating Ecological Progress for Economic and Social Development in Tibet

时间:2014-08-08 | 来源: | 作者:

  Accelerating Ecological Progress for Economic and Social Development in Tibet

  Jiang Bai(China)

  Tibet has been serving as a major shield for ecological security in China and Asia. Intensifying protection and construction of the ecological environment on the plateau through cyclical, low carbon, clean, and green development is an inevitable path for Tibet’s continuing development.

  I. Tibet’s Ecological Value and Strategic Position

  Tibet covers the majority of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. About 4,000 meters above sea level, it is known as both the “Roof of the World” and the “Third Pole of the Planet.” It contains both the sources of rivers and other ecological producers of China and Asia, with unique geographical position globally.

  1. A major river source region in Asia and a safety strategic base of water resources in China.

  The Tibet Plateau produces 53.6 percent of China’s glacial melt water runoff. Its total lake-covered area – 25,000 square kilometers – accounts for 30 percent of the nation’s total, and its wetlands – more than 60,000 square kilometers – make up 4.9 percent of the land of Tibet, leading the country in alpine wetlands, as well as much of the world.

  Moreover, its numerous glaciers, lakes and wetlands source many of Asia's most notable rivers, including the Ganges, Indus, Mekong (Lancang), Salween (Nujiang), and the Yangtze, which are born in and traverse the Tibet Plateau.

  2. An important region for global biodiversity protection.

  Tibet contains 820,700 square kilometers of natural pastures, accounting for 21 percent of the nation’s total. Of China’s 18 species of grassland, 17 are found in Tibet, more than any other province or autonomous region.

  Tibet is home to the country’s largest virgin forest: nearly 14 million hectares in area creating 2.091 billion cubic meters of living wood. A major protective screen to stabilize the climatic system, its above-ground vegetation makes a great influence on the climate of both China and Asia.

  Tibet takes pride in its exceptional biodiversity compared to other provinces and autonomous regions. Thirty-nine of the 6,400 species of higher plants growing in Tibet are listed as wild plants under state protection. Of 798 species of wild vertebrates, 125 are under state protection, accounting for over one third of the nation’s total. Among its many plants and animals, 600 species of higher plants and 200 species of terrestrial vertebrates are unique to the Tibet Plateau.

  It is rare to see as many ecosystem-types and abundant biological resources as are found in Tibet, a “treasure trove” of biological and genetic diversity in China as well as the planet.

  Tibet leads the country in area of nature reserves. Its 47 nature reserves cover 413,700 square kilometers, accounting for 34.47 percent of Tibet’s total land and 27.2 percent of China’s nature reserves. Its forests, pastures and wetlands play an important ecological function as well as a huge role in water conservation, water-and-soil conservation, wind prevention and sand fixation, and climate control in the river-source regions. Scientific statistics show that Tibet’s biological system – forests and pastures alone – creates 780 billion yuan annually, making Tibet a leader in China in terms of ecological assets and eco-system services.

  Therefore, not only is the Tibet Plateau influential on climate change in China and the world, but it also plays an important role, as an ecological shelter zone, in maintaining the ecosystem and biodiversity on the plateau and keeping the ecological balance in Asia. The Tibet Plateau is a key region safeguarding ecological security in both China and Asia as well as an important “eco-security shield” for Asia and China.

  II. Achievements in Tibet’s Eco Environmental Protection and Construction

  The central government has always attached importance to environmental protection and ecological construction in Tibet. The government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has set a goal of building a beautiful Tibet through effective measures to maintain the ecological environment.

  1. Achievements

  China’s State Council has approved a plan to protect and construct Tibet ecological security shield and designated several projects of national importance. As designed, five five-year plans have been mapped out including investments of 15.5 billion yuan to be spread across ten projects in three categories concerning environmental protection and ecological construction. By 2030, Tibet will become an eco-security shield.

  As of now, 4.82 billion yuan has been allocated to environmental protection and construction to restore forests and pastures and prevent and control desertification, endeavors which produce noticeable benefits ecologically, economically and socially.

  -- Ecologically, protection of grasslands is already seeing results: Pasture coverage has increased by 16.9 percent, biomass has grown by 8.2g/m2, yield of herbs has doubled to 3.272 million tons, and the ecosystem structure has greatly improved. In addition, a forestry ecological deficit has become a surplus. Forest coverage rate has increased by 0.8 percent. Forest carbon sequestration has increased by 181 million tons.

  All nature reserves have been well preserved. The populations of rare species of wild animals have grown, and alpine wetlands are being well protected. Deserts have decreased, and the degree of severe desertification downgraded. Even more importantly, Tibet has seen a rise in its substitution rate of traditional energy and the rate of clean energy utilization in agricultural and pastoral areas.

  Generally speaking, Tibet has seen progress in ecosystem service functionality. Its wind prevention and sand fixation measures are already making a big difference, weakening the force of wind in desert areas.

  -- Economically, farmers and herders in Tibet are earning better incomes thanks to their participation in campaigns to manage and protect public welfare forests and nature reserves and the implementation of eco-compensation policies to encourage the abandonment of grazing land. Those involved in forest management and protection number over 80,000, earning average annual incomes that have multiplied more than tenfold since 2006.

  Environmental protection campaigns have effectively guarded the pristine ecological environment and rich natural resources of Tibet, accelerated the economic development of unique resources, such as Tibetan medicine, tourism and animal husbandry, which are heavily dependent on the natural environment, and accelerated sustainable development, socially and economically, with prominent indirect economic benefits.

  -- Socially, nomadic lifestyles after a lengthy period of decentralization are shifting towards communities, which, due to comparative centralization, promote the transformation of methods and readjustment of agricultural and animal husbandry structures and production. Living conditions have greatly improved and more job opportunities have been created, upgrading local living standards.

  2. Promising Future for Ecological Progress

  First, awareness of ecological progress has been greatly enhanced.

  In 2013, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region promulgated Opinions on Building a Beautiful Tibet, with a paramount goal of preserving and enhancing Tibet’s aesthetic beauty. Measures were taken to prohibit any project or enterprise from excessively consuming energy or polluting, foregoing potential economic growth for the sake of the ecological environment.

  Second, environmental legislation has been enhanced.

  In 2013, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region established a first-person responsibility system, designating principals of the governments at all levels to take charge of eco-environmental protection. The one-vote veto system in particular has greatly beefed up implementation of the responsibility system.

  Finally, assessment of environmental protection has been considerably tightened.

  In 2013, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region formulated measures to assess environmental protection, establishing a special reward foundation, with an annual fund of 100 million yuan. Beginning in 2014, the government began an overall assessment of environmental protection in local governments across 74 counties, districts, and cities.

  3. Reinforce Supervision on Environmental Protection

  First, strictly control access to the pristine environmental conditions. All projects and enterprises with the potential for high energy consumption and pollution are prohibited from establishment or operation in Tibet.

  Second, launch special campaigns for environmental protection. Every year, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region organizes campaigns to punish enterprises which violate pollution-discharge laws, so as to safeguard public health. Efforts have been made to strengthen the supervision of environmental protection in major sectors, such as energy development. In 2013, for instance, 171 cases were investigated and treated, solving problems concerning public well-being and protecting environmental rights and interests as well as environmental security.

  Finally, enhance punishment measures. Enterprises and projects with severe environmental problems are shut down or required to adjust and reform within a time limit, thus eliminating potential hazards and issues regarding environmental safety.

  Overall, Tibet has achieved phased objectives in ecological environmental protection and progress. Generally speaking, water quality in major rivers here meets criteria of Grade II water areas in line with the national standard. Major lakes meet standards for Grade I. Over 95 percent of the air in major cities and townships, including Lhasa, the capital, is qualified as fine. The total quantity of major pollution discharge is within the national limits. Tibet is proud to remain one of the cleanest places in the world.

  III. Situations and Issues

  Risk heralds the summit – the most critical period during the progress of environmental protection. Today, Tibet is experiencing rapid development socially and economically, creating greater demand for resources. We cannot afford to move forward at the cost of environmental well-being, nor shall we stop progress for the sake of environmental protection.

  Issues occur in the following areas.

  1. Serious conflicts between environmental protection and economic development.

  On one hand, Tibet is underdeveloped productively and has a weak economic foundation. Its per capita net income lags far behind the national average. It has been and will be a long-term top priority for Tibet to energetically develop its economy and improve public well-being before joining the rest of China to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, but accelerating development will inevitably place greater pressure on local natural resources and the eco-environment. On the other hand, the conflict between environmental protection and economic development has become more prominent due to the intensification of both environmental protection and construction.

  2. Deficiency of transfer payments among major eco-functional regions. In accordance with National Major Functional Area Planning, restricted and prohibited development zones are found in 45 counties of Tibet and account for 19.6 percent of the nation’s total. Prohibited development zones make up 30.9 percent of the total area of the country.

  3. Outdated infrastructure for environmental protection in cities and towns. Tibet has been plagued by its insufficient infrastructure and facilities for garbage and sewage treatment and treatment of domestic sewage in counties.

  4. Incompetent supervision on environmental protection. Tibet began working on environmental protection later than other parts of the country. Its weakest links are foundation, capacity, system for environmental monitoring and supervision, well-trained professional personnel, scientific and technological support, and means of analyzing data. These roadblocks have weakened abilities for scientific prediction and accurate judgment of various environmental trends as well as effective construction of an eco-security shield in Tibet. Its existing infrastructure can hardly meet demands of future development.

  IV. Tasks Today and Tomorrow

  Today and in the days to come, Tibet should work hard to build a national eco-security shield on the Tibet Plateau, with focus on optimizing industrial structure, transforming economic growth trends, intensifying environmental supervision, solving environmental problems most affecting public health, and accelerating sound ecological progress.

  Efforts should be made in the following realms:

  First, optimize the national land development structure so as to establish a scientific, rational regional development pattern of ecological safety. The space for production should be intensive and highly efficient, living space comfortable and moderate, ecological space picturesque, nature renewable, agriculture fertile, and the inheritance for later generations beautiful.

  Second, accelerate the establishment of a system creating an eco-security shield. To build an ecological, beautiful Tibet, revisions are needed for the construction plan for an eco-security shield and intensity is required for its construction. More projects should be conducted to return the grain plots to forestry and grazing land to pastures, produce artificial composite feed, restore the ecology in mining areas, prevent and control geological disasters, and comprehensively improve small watersheds. A number of ecological reserves of national importance should be built in major river source regions and bio-diversified regions, so as to give full play to the ecosystem service function. More efforts should be made to protect the ecosystem and its native vegetation and wild animals and plants which can only be found on the Tibet Plateau.

  Third, improve Tibet’s compensation mechanism for sound ecological practices. Efforts should be made to better compensate sound forest ecological practices and award those who protect ecological pastures, and raise criteria for ecological compensation. A compensation mechanism should be established for wetland protection. Pilot projects for ecological compensation should be launched in nature reserves along with water and soil conservation, water resource protection, and resource development. Economic policies and marketing tools should be used to intensify resource preservation and environmental protection.

  Fourth, hone the system of ecological progress. The new Environmental Protection Act will go into effect in 2015, in line with which relevant rules, regulations, and systems shall be promulgated and revised.

  Fifth, enhance infrastructure construction for environmental protection in Tibet. Efforts should be made to strengthen Tibet’s capacity for environmental monitoring, supervision, dissemination, and education, with focus on county-level environmental protection departments. Infrastructural facilities in cities and towns should also be enhanced, so that 74 cities, districts, and major towns and villages are capable of handling sewage treatment by the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). Capacity for environmental supervision should be enhanced comprehensively. Technical assistance policies should be offered to Tibet, aiming to forge a well-trained, highly-experienced team for environmental protection. 

  Finally, build a permanent force for environmental protection. Campaigns should be launched to inspire social awareness and encourage participation in environmental protection: to respect and protect nature and its environment. Responsibilities and functions should be further clarified for local governments, aiming to establish a supervision and management system based on joint efforts.

  (Jiang Bai, Director of Environmental Protection Department of Tibet)

  

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