天气预报
设为首页
加入收藏
主编信箱
首页 > 专题荟萃 > 2014年 > 第四届西藏发展论坛 > 议题三 西藏的生态与环境保护

Strengthen Environmental Protection Promote Sustainable Development in Agricultural and Pastoral Areas

时间:2014-08-08 | 来源: | 作者:

  Strengthen Environmental Protection Promote Sustainable Development in Agricultural and Pastoral Areas

  Han Yang(China)

  Distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen:

  It is my great pleasure to attend the Fourth Forum on the Development of Tibet, China. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you here on behalf of the Shigatse local government. Many of you have made enormous contribution to Shigatse economic and social development and we will always be grateful.

  For decades, thanks to the Central Government and Tibetan regional government, and with both domestic and international support, Shigatse has made its contribution to protecting the local ecological environment. With “building Tibet into an ecological shield for China” as one of its strategic goals, Shigatse has always highlighted the importance of environmental protection, ecological conservation, and resource utilization.

  Building Tibet into an ecological shield for China is one of the most important tasks for us at this critical moment. Shigatse is one of the biggest regions of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, with a large population, widespread agricultural and livestock production, mineral reserves, and vibrant tourism and trade. It is vast in territory and rich in resources. It is dubbed “the highest of all mountains and the source of all rivers” as it is endowed with beautiful mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, and grassland. The Himalayas, the highest and youngest mountain range in the world, lie in the southern part of the protection zone, stretching from west to east. The famous Qomolangma Mountain, the highest mountain summit in the world, is situated in Dingri County of Shigatse.

  It is of vital importance for Shigatse to strengthen the ecological protection of Qomolangma. As early as 1988 the government of Tibet Autonomous Region decided to establish a natural protection zone to preserve the ecological system of Qomolangma, and set up a committee to conduct analysis of the protection zone’s resources so as to better protect the mountain. In 1989, with the approval of the regional government, Qomolangma Natural Protection Bureau was established with sub-branches in Dingri, Dingjie, Nyalam, and Gillon. In 1994, Qomolangma Natural Protection Bureau was upgraded into a national level protection zone and was registered on the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2004.

  Qomolangma Natural Protection Zone, located on the China-Nepal border, covers an area of 33,810 square km. It is high in the north and low in the south, with complex landforms. It lies 4,200 meters above sea level on average with a high point of 8,8443 meters and a low point of 1,440 meters. It is home to plentiful natural species with 2,550 species of plants, 355 species of vertebrate, 58 species of mammal, 266 species of bird, 15 reptiles, eight amphibians, and eight species of fish. It is also a host to precious plants and animals under national-level protection such as gastrodia elata and the leopard.

  To maintain sound ecological and biological systems in Qomolangma Natural Protection Zone, Shigatse vigorously promotes all efforts to protect the environment, and we have made remarkable progress. Our efforts have won recognition from both domestic and international communities. In the future, we will need more policy support, investment, communication and cooperation to protect this zone.

  Ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to take this opportunity to talk about the sustainable development of Shigatse agricultural and pasture ecological system.

  For a long period of time, thanks to unremitting efforts on the part of environmental protection departments at all levels as well as social communities, Shigatse has made concrete progress in infrastructure construction concerning environmental protection. It now enjoys cleaner rivers, more forest coverage, better air quality, and a better ecological system in its agricultural and pastoral areas.

  Please allow me to share with you our experiences in protecting the local eco-system.

  First, the strong leadership of government at all levels is vital to the protection of the local ecological system. Tibet Autonomous Region has always placed high priority on protecting the eco-environment and regarded it as an important aspect of sustainable social and economic development. The right decisions have been made, and forceful measures have been carried out. In recent years the government has adopted a host of favorable policies to encourage environmental protection and eco-construction. The adoption of the Tibet Guidelines for Ecological Protection and Construction has further consolidated our efforts to protect the ecological environment.

  Second, strict law enforcement and supervision serves as a cornerstone for ecological environment protection. Environmental pollution is a primary target; resource taxes are in place; enterprises which discharge sewage into the river are taxed; technology upgrading is encouraged. Tibet does not allow high-polluting enterprises, high energy consumers, and high risk activities to set foot in this region. More investment has been dedicated to eco-environmental construction. Urban-rural environmental management has been strengthened. At the same time, we have also strengthened our protection of local forest, grassland, waterways, and wild animals, and punished violations of any kind.

  Third, we have attached equal importance to both protection and development. We have always held that economic construction, urban-rural development, and environmental protection can be pushed forward simultaneously. We believe in the notion of “protection-driven development, and development-driven protection”. We have made specific plans and standardized our efforts to protect specific ecological environment. We honor the way that nature works and engage in scientific exploitation of resources to achieve harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

  Fourth, all related departments have been mobilized to join in the region-wide campaign. Eco-environment protection requires cooperation between departments of all functions. In recent years, Shigatse has created a sound mechanism which is guided by the local government and led by the environmental department, and in which all related departments participate. It has achieved praiseworthy results.

  In spite of all these achievements, problems still exist in terms of protecting the sustainable development of agricultural and pastoral areas.

  Inadequate investment is preventing local government from better protecting the ecological environment. Shigatse is not an economically strong region and the only source of its investment in biological protection comes from government fiscal allocations, which are far from sufficient. On the one hand, we boast extensive grassland, bushland, forests and wetland, but on the other side of the equation, the unfavorable natural conditions, high cost of maintenance, low efficiency, and limited sources of investment take a toll on local biological protection.

  Shigatse is in need of professionals who can help with local eco-environment conservation. It is only in recent decades that Shigatse has set up a government department to protect its eco-environment. However, due to a shortage of experienced human resources and weak technology, the local government’s ability to monitor and conserve the natural environment is still far from effective.

  Climate change has become a new challenge. The ecological system in the plateau is fragile. The local climate has become warmer and wetter as a result of global climate change and a worsening eco-environment, posing a great challenge to local efforts to conserve the natural environment.

  It is our common task and mission to protect our environment so as to achieve sustainable development. Here, I would like to make the following proposals.

  We should enact more effective laws to protect our ecological system, especially rules and regulations in agricultural and pastoral areas, natural protection zones, and in tourist locations. In terms of evaluating our protection efforts, we must set up a series of standards for ecological protection in mines, tourist locations, and ecologically fragile areas. We should also improve our mechanism for ecological compensation to promote the efforts of local people to restore forests and grassland which have been previously used for farming purposes. More local fiscal revenues should be invested in ecological protection.

  We should streamline the mechanism to protect our eco-environment. We will popularize the concept of ecological conservation among the public so as to improve people’s awareness of the importance of eco-protection. We will strengthen law enforcement and the eco-protection evaluation system as part of our efforts to set up a comprehensive responsibility mechanism and to make the mechanism work more effectively. Related government organizations are also encouraged to work together to achieve common goals.

  Supervision will be strengthened. Our supervision over mineral resource exploitation and water source protection will be intensified, and we will tolerate no violation of any kind. Any companies or individuals who do not comply with the law will be blacklisted and punished. Officials or company managers who are held responsible for environmental degradation will be openly criticized or face charges.

  Our capability to protect the environment must be improved. We strongly urge the government to provide us with more favorable policies to expand our environmental protection specialists, and increase investment and technological support as well as ecological afforestation.

  Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen!

  Today, Tibet enjoys a growing economy with standards of living being constantly improved. Today, Tibetans are passionate about the development of their homeland; they bring vigor and vitality to Tibet’s pursuit of a moderately well-off society. It is now the best time in Tibetan history to grow our economy. It is our firm belief that with your attention and support, Tibet will surely achieve sound and fast development in its vast agricultural and pastoral areas.

  Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen!

  Let us come together and work together to create a better future for Tibet!

  Thank you all!

  (Han Yang, Deputy Secretary of Shigatse Party Committee)

  

责任编辑:

  

相关链接>>