Implementation of Biological Diversity Conservation Treaties in China
Focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59472/jodet.v1i3.43Keywords:
Biological diversity, Conservation, CBD, Ramsar Convention, Protected areas, ChinaAbstract
Biological Diversity, among its very diverse advantages, has been pointed out as key for achieving environmental sustainability. It has however been noted that biological diversity across the globe is being depleted. The international community responded by developing several international treaties for biological diversity conservation, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention. China is very rich in biological diversity and is party to the Conventions. In addition, China has in place several laws as well as protected areas to ensure the conservation of biological diversity. This notwithstanding, China still faces biological diversity depletion. This has been attributed to among other factors, overpopulation and industrialization. This article therefore seeks to critically analyze the efficacy of the CBD and Ramsar Conventions is ensuring Biological Diversity Conservation. The paper further analyses the extent to which China has achieved its obligations under the conventions. The paper concludes that the treaties, whereas a very good development, have some weakness. In addition, whereas China has done well in meeting its obligations under the treaties, it still faces some challenges. The article among others recommends that China should embrace public participation in ensuring biological diversity conservation. In achieving its objectives, the article adopts the doctrinal method of research.
References
Agreement between Australia and China for the Protection of Migratory Birds 1986 (CAMBA), accessed 23 September, 2023 through http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/treaties/1988/22.html
Ahrends, A., Hollingsworth, P.M., Beckschater, P., Chen, H., Zomer, R.J., Zhang, L., Wang, M., and Xu, J. (2017) China’s Fight to halt Tree cover Loss’ 2017 The Royal Society Publishing Online.
Air Pollution Prevention Law, issued in 1987 and revised in 1995 and 2000 (China).
Armenteras, D. & Finlayson, M. C. (2012) Biodiversity. Global Environment Outlook (GEO) 5 Report. The Future we want (UNEP) accessed 20 August, 2023 from http://www.bik-f.de/files/sonstige/geo5_report_c5.pdf
Boer, B. (2002). Biodiveristy planning Law: International and National in Reid., J.C (Ed). Biodiversity Planning in the Asian Region (Sri Lanka: IUCN).
Bowman, M. (2002/2003). The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands: Has it Made a Difference? in Yearbook of International Co-operation on Environment and Development 2002/2003 (London: Earthscan).
CBD, Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 (2010b) (Montreal: Secretariat of the CBD).
Chen, L.Z., & Zhao, S.D. Implementation of Convention on Biological Diversity in China, Area Studies-China: Regional Sustainable Development Review. Vol. III, Pg. 1 and 2 accessed 5 March, 2020, from http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c16/e1-54-35.pdf.
China Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011 to 2030) accessed on 20 August, 2023 from https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/cn/cn-nbsap-v2-en.pdf
China's Fifth National Report on the Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2014) accessed 20 August, 2023 from https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/cn/cn-nr-05-en.pdf
Congress on April 12, 1986 and promulgated by Order No. 37 of the President of the People's Republic of China on April 12, 1986).
Constitution of the Republic of China, 1982 as amended (China).
Convention on Biodiversity. 1760UNTS 79; 31 ILM 818 (1992) accessed on 17 July, 2023 from http://www.cbd.int/convention/text
Criminal Law of the People`s Republic of China, 1979 revised in 1997 (China).
Decision No. 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme.
Deng, Y. C (2023) Wetland Prtoection law of the People`s Republic of China: New Efforts in Wetland conservation The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law.
Environmental Protection Law of China, 1989, revised in 2014 (China).
European Council (2001). Presidency conclusions Göteburg Council; 2001 June 15 and 16 (SN/200/1/01 REV1, EC, Brussels).
Forestry Law of the People’s Republic of China of 1985 (China).
Gaodi, X., Shuyan, C., Qisen, Y., Lin, X., Zhiyong, F., Ying, G., Lin, D., Liqiang, G., & Humphrey, S. Living Planet Report. China: Development, Species and Ecological Civilisation (World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
General Principles of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China (Adopted at the Fourth Session of the Sixth National People's Congress on April 12, 1986 and Promulgated by Order no. 37 of the President of the People`s Republic of China on April 12, 1986).
Global Biodiversity outlook 2, Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2006 accessed 4 September, 2023 from https://www.greenfacts.org/en/global-biodiversity-outlook/l-3/9-convention-biological-diversity.htm
Government of China (2014/2015). National Report on the Implementation on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat 2014/2015 accessed 5 September, 2023 from https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/2014/national-reports/COP12/cop12_nr_china.pdf .
Grassland Law of the People’s Republic of China of 1985 (China).
Guangren, M.A. Wetlands Conservation in China, The Convention on Wetlands Management Office, P. R. China and the Office of Wetlands Conservation and Management, State Forestry Administration, P.R. China (PowerPoint presentation) accessed 20 June, 2021 from http://archive.ramsar.org/pdf/cop11/Pre%20COP11%20Asia%20Reg%20mtg%20PDFs/Presentations/26-%20Wetlands%20Conservation%20in%20China_%20Ma%20Guangren_China.pdf
Import and Export Animal and Plant Quarantine Law, 1982 (China).
Jianwei., C. Ramsar Convention and Wetland Conservation in China’ Area studies - China: Regional Sustainable Development Review – Vol. III – Ramsar Convention and Wetland Conservation in China, accessed on 24 September, 2023 from https://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/C16/E1-54-41.pdf
Kabaseke., C. (2020) Women's Right to Participation in Environmental Decision Making Process in Uganda: Lessons from International and Comparative Law (Un published PhD thesis submitted to the School of Law of Wuhan University).
Keyuan, Z. (2010) International Law in the Chinese Domestic ContextValparaiso University Law Review 44 (3) 935-956.
Klein., C. New Leadership Needed: The Convention on Biological Diversity 2016 (31) Emory International Law Review 136-165.
Kwan, K.Y., Chen, R., Wang, C-C., Lin, S., Wu, L., Xie, X., Weng, Z., Hu, M., Zhou, H., Wu, Z., Zhen, W., Yang, X., & Wen, Y. (2023) Towards Effective Wildlife protection law for marine species in China: A stakeholders` perspective Marine Fisheries, Acquaculture and Living Resources (10).
Lausche, B., IUCN Guidelines for Protected Areas Legislation (Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, 2011) accessed 24 September, 2023 from http:// data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/eplp-081.pdf.
Lausche., B. J., & Burhenne-Guilmin., F. (2013). The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper. IUCN EPLP No. 85. Vol.1 accessed 23 September, 2023 from hpps//portals.iucn.org/library/node/10421.
Law of the People’s Republic of China on Water and Soil Conservation of 1991 (China).
Lin, Y., & Yue, C. (2014) China's New National Rules on Wetland Protection IUCNAEL EJournal 177 (5).
Mao, D., Wang, Z., Wu, J., Wu, B., Zeng, Y., Song, K., Yi, K., & Luo, ‘L. (2018) China’s Wetlands loss to Urban Expansion Land Degradation and Development (29) (8).
Marine Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China of 1999 (China).
Matthews, G.V.T. (2006) The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands: its History and Development (Gland Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Bureau, Gland, Switzerland).
Navid., D. (1989). The International Law of Migratory Species: The Ramsar Convention 1989 (29) Natural Resources Journal accessed on 20 August, 2023 from http://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nrj/vol29/iss4/5
Puppim de Oliveira, J. A., Balaban, O., Doll, C.N.H., Moreno-Peranda, R., Gasparatos, A., Lossifova, D., & Suwa, A. (2011). Cities and biodiversity: Perspectives and governance challenges for implementing the convention on biological diversity (CBD) at the city level Biological Conservation (144) 1302–1313.
Ramsar Convention, 996 UNTS 245; TIAS 11084; 11 ILM 963 (1972) accessed 23 September, 2023 from http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=15398&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Ramsar Resolution IX.1 Annex D (2005) Ecological “outcome-oriented” Indicators for Assessing the Implementation Effectiveness of the Ramsar Convention.
Regulation on Assessing the Pilot National Wetland Park of 2010 (China).
Regulation on National Wetland Park Management (China). Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves, adopted at the 24th Executive Meeting of the State Council on September 2, 1994, promulgated by Decree No.167 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on October 9, 1994, and effective as of December 1, 1994).
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves, 1994 (China).
Regulations of the Peoples’ Republic of China, Decree no. 167 of the State Council, 1994 (China).
Regulations on Wild Plants Protection of 1997 (China).
The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife,1989 (China).
UNEP (2007) Global Environment Outlook 4: Environment for Development (Progress Press, Valletta: UNEP).
Wallace, R. (2015) The Reduced Effect of International Conservation Agreements: A New Zealand Case Study Journal of Environmental Law (27) 489–516.
Water Law of the People’s Republic of China of 2002.
Wenxuan, Y. (2015). Biological Conservation Law. In Qin Tianbao (Ed): Research Handbook on Chinese Environmental Law. (Cltenan, Uk: Edward Elgar Publishing).
Wenxuan, Y., & Czarnezki, J.J. (2013). Challenges to China’s Natural Resources Conservation & Biodiversity Legislation Environmental Law Review 43 (1) 125 – 144.
Wildlife Animal Protection Law, 1988 (China).
Zheng, H., & Cao, S. (2015) Threats to China’s Biodiversity by Contradictions Policy (44) AMBIO 23-33.
Zongming, W., & ianguo, W., Marguerite, M., & Dehua, M. (2012) China’s Wetlands: Conservation Plans and Policy Impacts AMBIO (41) 782–786.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Kabaseke Charlotte
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright, and full publishing rights and grant the journal a right of first publication with the work as licensed under the Creative Commons License CC that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the author and initial publication in this journal.