Tag: Environment
Strengthening Climate Resilience and Restoring South Dongting Lake
The Asian Development Bank is investing over $3.6 billion in projects like the South Dongting Lake restoration. This ambitious project aims to revitalize one of PRC’s most important wetlands, benefiting local communities and global biodiversity. By improving water quality, restoring habitats, and promoting sustainable practices, we can ensure a healthier planet for future generations.
Transcript
Au Shion Yee, Principal Water Specialist, Asian Development Bank
By next year, we will be investing more than $3.6 billion. And South Dongting Lake project through the investment in the wetland improvements, migratory bird habitat improvements, water quality improvements… We can see that this project is really bringing and will continue to bring real benefits to the local communities.
This is the South Dongting Lake. It spans over 168,000 hectares and is one of (the People’s Republic of) China’s most vital wetlands. Hundreds of species, including endangered migratory birds call this area home. It is also crucial in climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, the lake and its surrounding wetlands have been under increasing pressure. Urban expansion, invasive species, unsustainable agricultural practices, and climate change have led to significant ecological degradation and biodiversity loss.
In response, the Asian Development Bank, in partnership with the Yuanjiang Municipal government, the Hunan Provincial government, the French Development Agency and other partners have launched an ambitious project to further restore and sustainably manage the South Dongting Lake wetlands.
Tieshan Song, Vice Mayor, Yuanjiang Government
We have been actively promoting both preparation and implementation of this project with a focus on the critical issue of South Dongting Lake wetland. We also aim to leverage the ADB project to elevate the restoration of the Dongting Lake wetland system environmental protection and rare species conservation.
Au Shion Yee, Principal Water Specialist, Asian Development Bank
This is one of the first projects that is linked to ADB’s Regional Flyway Initiative, which connects a number of very, significant bird habitat and wetland areas from the northern hemisphere, from northern Siberia down to Australia. So this project is part of a broader, global effort where we can have win-win outcomes, in terms of green development for the local fishermen community transitioning to green economy as well as, ecological benefits for global protected bird species.
The goal is to restore almost 12,000 hectares of degraded wetland, improve water connectivity, and manage invasive species.
Jianzhi Li, Deputy Secretary-General of Hunan Wildlife Conservation Association, and President of Yuanjiang Environmental Protection Volunteer Association
Now, the environment is improving, we expect to see an increase in visitors which will stimulate the local economy, raising incomes and bringing numerous benefits to Yuanjiang City and the South Dongting Lake area.
South Dongting Lake is gradually reclaiming its role as a vital ecosystem, thanks to the focused efforts in restoration and sustainable livelihoods, so that people and nature thrive together.
ADB and NDRC co-host 10th International Conference on Eco-Compensation and Payments for Ecosystem Services
BEIJING, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (5 December 2024) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the People’s Republic of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), with support from the ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI) and other partners, co-hosted the 10th annual eco-compensation conference in Miyun, PRC, from 25–27 November.
ADB East Asia Director General Muhammad Ehsan Khan and NDRC Vice Secretary General Xiao Weiming opened the conference, while AFNR Senior Director Qingfeng Zhang delivered a keynote presentation, reflecting on achievements from 15 years of ADB-NDRC collaboration, of continuously refining and improving the eco compensation mechanism as a means of financing ecological restoration work in vital ecosystems including the Yangtze and Yellow River basins.
This year’s conference, a regional flagship event led by ADB’s East Asia Regional Department and the Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Group (AFNR), focused on market-based and user-pays mechanisms, and legal frameworks for eco-compensation and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes. Importantly, the conference served as the international launch of the PRC’s National Ecological Protection Regulations, a pioneering effort at standardizing a mechanism of payment for ecosystem services.
“This conference provides a vital platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration on critical issues related to environmental protection and sustainable financing,” said ADB Director General for East Asia Department Muhammad Ehsan Khan. “ADB is committed to supporting its member countries in developing and implementing effective eco-compensation and PES mechanisms to achieve their environmental and development goals. Eco-compensation mechanisms are not just about protecting our environment; they are about unlocking the economic potential of nature. By investing in natural capital, we can drive sustainable development and create a greener, more prosperous future for all.”
Around 300 participants from government agencies, national and international research institutes, academia, and the private sector attended the event, including delegations from 13 countries. The conference helped strengthen collaboration between the PRC and other developing member countries through sharing of knowledge on sustainable conservation finance strategies.
On the first day of the conference, participants embarked on a field visit to observe various watershed conservation programs in Miyun. This excursion included stops at the Miyun Reservoir Exhibition Museum and Dam, the Chinese Bee Protected Area in Fengjiayu, the Jixing Agricultural Park built on reclaimed wildlands, and the Earth System Simulation Facility. These site visits provided firsthand insights into the practical implementation and diverse applications of modern and sustainable agriculture, engineering and science.
Conference sessions discussed a range of topics including the PRC’s experience in implementing eco-compensation programs, which have contributed towards improving environmental quality and enhancing sustainable agriculture practices, while also enhancing ecotourism activities and promoting nature positive investments. The eco-compensation schemes also serve as a mechanism to channel financial flows from carbon or biodiversity credit schemes.
The conference also facilitated the sharing of experiences and best practices from other regions, including the Greater Mekong Subregion, Lao PDR, and India, with presentations highlighting successful initiatives like the Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Discussions highlighted the importance of identifying additional avenues for dissemination of PRC’s rich experiences in implementing eco-compensation mechanisms with other DMCs, including through the RKSI and other knowledge sharing platforms.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
Regional Public Goods Can be a Powerhouse for Development
In an increasingly interconnected world, regional public goods (RPGs) provide a compelling framework for countries to cooperate for sustainable development. RPGs include a wide array of assets and services to promote economic growth, social welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Public goods can be placed in three main categories: economic public goods, social public goods, and environmental public goods.
Economic public goods are those that are directly related to economic growth and industrialization, such as infrastructure for transportation, communication, energy, and irrigation systems. Economic institutions, regulatory frameworks, and government macroeconomic policies can also be included.
Social public goods include legal systems, public health and epidemic prevention, social safety nets, public security, museums, public libraries, and parks.
Environmental public goods include environmental protection systems and policies, ecological restoration, renewable energy development, and climate change mitigation and adaptation programs.
Education, scientific research, technology, innovation, and all kinds of knowledge are all linked to these public goods.
Developing countries share common interests and needs for public goods because they face similar problems at similar stages of development. Often, they have common goals and priorities for economic development, such as poverty relief, industrialization, increasing productivity, urbanization, and reduction of income disparities. Here, cooperation between developing countries may create important regional public goods for joint development.
For example, regional and international transportation as well as communication networks improve connectivity among countries, enlarge the market for all, and in turn, improve the efficiency of national infrastructure systems.
Regional trade and investment agreements facilitate economic development and cooperation of the countries involved in the treaty. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership treaty is an example of how all parties involved can benefit through regional cooperation.
Meanwhile, regional public health systems and epidemic prevention mechanisms are key to minimizing the pandemic risks for people in the region and beyond.
Regional networks can also play an important role in natural disaster management and mitigation as well as cross-border environment protection and ecological preservation (one example would be ADB’s Regional Flyway Initiative).
The Paris Agreement is a global public good that aims to tackle the challenge of climate change. However, its benefits can truly be realized through regional cooperation. A specific area for regional collaboration is energy transition through which governments can utilize latest technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
Global public goods can also be promoted through regional cooperation on cyber security and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The provision of global public goods requires coordination between regional and global institutions to facilitate project designs, financing, and technical assistance. This facilitation can be done through a regional mechanism or within an international framework.
Knowledge sharing is imperative for joint development. Particularly essential is knowledge of recent development practices and experience in all countries, including policies implemented, technologies applied, and business models used and the problems that arise when facing new conditions. People from diverse backgrounds will benefit immensely through such knowledge exchanges. Every developing country, regardless of its size and levels of productivity, can offer some good experiences or lessons for others to learn and benefit from. A useful example is the influence of Bangladesh’s microfinance model.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s role in regional development
The PRC is still a developing country, in terms of both gross national income per capita and industrial productivity. However, as a large economy, the PRC has a special responsibility to contribute to regional development.
Four important initiatives for economic development of the region deserve mention.
The first pertains to regional connectivity infrastructure (road, railway, ports, airports and telecommunications), which the PRC has facilitated. Better connectivity means greater market access and higher productivity, particularly for inland countries. The PRC-Europe rail route has greatly stabilized global supply chains in the wake of conflict disrupting vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
The second involves industrial development facilities, such as industrial parks. In recent years, the PRC has engaged in developing “two parks in two countries” mechanisms with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, which provide mutual common goods for the companies from “the other country.”
The third initiative is the technology and business model for energy transition. Knowledge sharing in this regard will not only contribute to the battle against climate change, but also provide new ways to help countries increase their capacity for energy generation for the next stage of development.
The fourth initiative is cross-border environment protection and ecological system preservation for sustainable development. It is in the common interest of all countries in our region and beyond to prevent damage of our ecological systems.
Priorities for developing countries
In principle, all public goods are good and beneficial for everyone, one way or another. However, for countries at different stages of development, their priorities may be different.
For low-income countries, the most urgent need is more economic public goods related to their industrialization and economic structural upgrade, such as physical infrastructure and industrial facilities. Economic growth will enable these countries to finance their social and environmental projects through their own revenues and participate effectively in the provision of regional and global public goods.
Countries with higher incomes and productivity can help provide social and environmental public goods, such as on ecological restoration and climate change.
Financial resources from donor countries should be directed toward economic public goods, rather social and environmental projects in low-income developing countries. This will prevent developing countries from becoming reliant on international aid for long periods and instead, encourage them to develop their own financial strength to pay for social and environmental goods. “Infrastructure deficits” in developing countries should be interpreted as being part of broader deficits of economic public goods.
Fan Gang
Director, National Economic Research Institute
Green Finance and Information Disclosure in the People’s Republic of China
Replicating ADB Projects from the People’s Republic of China
Generation of knowledge is a priority of the partnership between Asian Development Bank and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC’s rich experiences and its strong institutional and project implementation capacities make it fertile ground for learning, demonstration, and replication of new development approaches. A new publication, “Echoes of Success: Case Studies in the Replication of Asian Development Bank Projects in the People’s Republic of China,” looks at five projects in the PRC that illustrate how effective solutions to environmental and social problems have been replicated both within and outside the country. The sectors covered span nature conservation, green finance, road safety, renewable energy, and water resources management. The case studies highlight how lessons from projects in the PRC can help inspire and shape other projects in the PRC and beyond.
10th International Conference on Eco-Compensation and Payments for Ecosystem Services
Eco-compensation is a policy mechanism which aims to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of human activities by implementing measures to offset or compensate for ecological damage caused by those activities. Examples of eco- compensation include fiscal transfer, regional cooperation, and market incentives.
Over the past two decades, eco-compensation has seen significant development and innovative application in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Pilot projects established at the regional scale have demonstrated encouraging results across the country. The State Council proclaimed the Eco-compensation Regulation in April 2024, which provided the foundation for eco-compensation to be formally adopted and integrated into broader incentive mechanisms to achieve sustainability, supported by appropriate regulatory and legal basis.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has supported the development of eco-compensation in the PRC with technical assistance and capacity building support since 2009. This has predominantly been through facilitating policy dialogue and technical cooperation with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on a range of projects and policy reform initiatives, including eco-compensation policy, legislation, market-based instruments, performance evaluation, and links with wider poverty reduction initiatives.
This year’s conference is a regional flagship event led by the ADB’s Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Group (AFNR) to promote collaboration among public, private, and civil sectors for sustainable conservation finance, discuss innovative financing methods and challenges, strengthen networks among eco-compensation and PES stakeholders, and facilitate knowledge sharing among countries including the PRC. This year’s conference will also include a focus on methane emissions reduction in agriculture for enhanced food security and climate action.
This year’s 10th International Conference on Eco-compensation and PES will review the progress of eco-compensation in the PRC and PES globally and has a thematic focus on market-based and user-paid mechanisms and legal framework for eco-compensation and PES.
Join the webinar here.
Passcode: WEB221124
Agenda
Excursion:
• Miyun Reservoir Exhibition Museum
• Jixing Agricultural Park built on the wildlands
• Earth System Simulation Facility
• Chinese Bee Protected Area in Fengjiayu
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 11:00 | Opening Plenary and Keynote Speech Chair: Yu Haibo, Governor of Miyun District Government, Beijing Municipality |
| 09:00 – 09:40 | Opening Remarks
|
| Keynote Presentations | |
| 09:40 – 10:00 | Advances in Policy and Legislation of Eco-compensation in the PRC Tong Zhangshun, Director General, Regional Revitalization Department, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) |
| 10:00 – 10:20 | China’s Approach and Innovation in Eco-compensation Wang Jinnan, Honorable Dean, Chinese Academy of Environmental Protection, and Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering |
| 10:20 – 10:40 | Scaling up natural capital investment in the Asia-Pacific Region Qingfeng Zhang, Senior Director, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, Asian Development Bank |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Coffee/Tea Break |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Thematic Session 1: Advancement in Eco-compensation and payments for Ecosystem Services Chair: Sanath Ranawana, Director, Natural Capital and Climate, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, ADB |
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Natural Capital Accounting for Ecosystem Conservation Chunquan Zhu, Head, China Nature Initiatives, World Economic Forum |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Water funds for Watershed Protection | Daniel Shemie, Director, Resilient Freshwater (Water-fund), TNC |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Panel Discussion and Questions and Answers Innovation, Legislation, and Replicability of China’s Eco-Compensation Moderated by Sanath Ranawana, Director, Natural Capital and Climate, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, ADB
|
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch Break |
| 13:30 – 15:25 | Thematic Session 2: Market-based Eco-compensation Chair: Au Shion Yee, Principal Water Resources Specialist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Group, ADB |
| 13:30 – 13:50 | Green transformation with green finance Ge Xiangqun, Deputy General Manager, Operation Department, China Development Bank |
| 13:50 – 14:10 | Market based nature finance Zhang Anping, Deputy General Manager, National Green Development Fund |
| 14:10 – 14:25 | AIIB innovation in investment in nature | Xie Chunping, Climate Economist, Economics Department, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank |
| 14:25 – 14:40 | Market Instruments to Invest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration Callum Douglas, Senior Strategy Consultant, Nature and Biodiversity Strategy, Policy and Budget Department |
| 14:40 – 14:55 | Biodiversity credit mechanism assisting high-quality development of nature markets Chen Yuanzhe, Secretary General, Chinese Institute of Green Carbon |
| 14:55 – 15:25 | Panel Discussion and Questions and Answers Market-based Eco-Compensation and PES: Viability and Necessity Moderated by Mingyuan Fan, Principal Water Resources Specialist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Group, ADB,
|
| 15:25 – 15:40 | Coffee/Tea Break |
| 15:40 – 18:00 | Thematic Session 3: Eco-Compensation with Charity Refund Chair: Song Yuanyuan, Director, Regional Revitalization Department of NDRC |
| 15:40 – 15:55 | Public involvement in eco-compensation Chen Peng, Secretary General, China Green Foundation |
| 15:55 – 16:10 | Environmental charity foundation development and eco-compensation in China Liu Chunlong, Secretary General, China Environmental Protection Foundation |
| 16:10 – 16:25 | Environmental foundation financing: international perspectives and implications for China and other DMCs Ren Wenwei, Director of Water Practice & Head of Shanghai Office, WWF (Switzerland) China |
| 16:25 – 16:35 | Question & Answers |
| 16:35 – 16:55 | Financing Innovations in nature conservation Zhu Da, Country Director, China Program, The Nature Conservancy |
| 16:55 – 17:15 | The Practice on Civil Protected Areas by The Paradise International Foundation Wang Dezhi, Chief Scientist, The Paradise International Foundation |
| 17:15 – 18:00 | Panel Discussion and Questions and Answers Eco-compensation with Charity Fund and Public Participation Moderated by Song Yuanyuan, Director, Regional Revitalization Department of NDRC
|
| 18:00 – 20:00 | Dinner |
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 11:30 | Thematic Session 4: Environmental Protection Embedded in Development Chair: Sun Yinhong, Country Program Coordinator, IFAD China Office |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Ecological protection and compensation in hydropower development Miao Yongbao, Deputy General Manager, Yangtze Three Gorges Investment Corporation |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Protected areas financing with user-pay mechanisms Teuanchay Phongkhamphanh, Deputy Head of the Protected Area Management Division of the Department of Forestry, Laos |
| 09:30 – 09:45 | Payments for ecosystem services in India: Case Studies Bhagirath Behera, Professor (Economics), Indian Institute of Technology |
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Investment in nature: innovations in the GMS Liu Guohua, Director, Sustainable Energy and Environment Department, Mekong Institute |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Market-based Yongding River Watershed Management for Ecological Protection and Economic Development Qiao Shijiao,Young Professional, China Water Resources Beifang Investigation Design & Research Company (BIDR), MWR |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | Tea break |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Green financing in agriculture and rural development: local experiences Hu Faqiang, Deputy Director General, Huangshan Development and Reform Commission |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Water fund innovation in Qingshan Village, Zhejiang Province Zhang Zhenwei, Vice Governor, Yuhang District, Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Comprehensive eco-compensation schemes in Jiangkou Yang Jian, Vice Governor, Jiangkou County, Guizhou Province |
| 11:15 – 11:30 | Eco-compensation innovation in Shangarila Ju Yandong, Mayor, Shangerila, Yunnan Province |
| 11:30 – 11:50 | Closing Session Chair: Li Xiaotao, DDG, Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission (BDRC) |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Closing Remarks
|
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch and closing of conference |
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 13:30 – 17:45 | Final Review Workshop for (i) TA 6605-PRC: Yellow River Eco-Compensation Mechanism and (ii) TA 6945-PRC: Eco-Compensation Mechanism for Protected Areas with a Focus on National Parks Project Venue: Venue: Meeting Room 1, Conference Hall Mission Leader: Au Shion Yee; Analysts: Francesca Noelle Cimacio (TA 6605) and Daisy Gavina (TA 6945) |
| 13:30 – 15:30 | TA 6605 presentation and discussion |
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 15:45 – 17:45 | TA 6945 presentation and discussion |
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 13:30 – 17:45 | Final Review Workshop for TA 6995-PRC: Research on Methane Emission Reduction in Agriculture Venue: Venue: Meeting Room 2, Conference Hall Mission Leader: Dustin Schinn; Analyst: Erika Joy Arcillas Participants: MARA, ADB, Consultants, and invited representatives |
| 13:30 – 15:30 | TA presentation and discussion |
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 15:45 – 17:45 | TA presentation and discussion / wrap-up |
