UNDP-DR PLANT Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization Project Officially Launched in Kunming

Date：2021-05-19 Publisher： Click：

Kunming, Yunnan Province, May 18 - The Inception Workshop for “UNDP-DR PLANT Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization Project" was held in Yunnan Academy Forestry and Grassland (YAFG) via the online and offline. Participants attendance of the workshop include: Ms. Beate Trankmann, Resident Representative ,UNDP China, Mr. Wang Weibin, Deputy Director General of Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Yunnan Province, Professor Pei Shengji, Expert of Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mr. Ma Chaode, Project Director from UNDP China, Mr. Yu Lei, President Assistant of Dr. PLANT, Ms. Zhong Mingchuan, President of Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Mr. Yun Xinhua, Vice President of Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, representatives from the Department of Commerce of Yunnan Province, Department of Ecology and Environment of Yunnan Province, Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Yunnan Province, Kunming Branch Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Science and Technology Bureau, ect.   

Ms. Beate Trankmann, Resident Representative, UNDP China, delivered her speech via the internet. “China is one of the mega-biodiverse countries in the world, endowed with 11 percent of recorded plant species worldwide. Yunnan Province alone is home to almost half of the national key protected plant species and more than half of terrestrial wildlife under state protection in China. In addition, the traditional culture and customs of ethnic minority communities in Yunnan have a positive effect on biodiversity conservation by encouraging local people to protect ecological resources. The launch of the project in Yunnan will also promote the post-2020 global biodiversity framework agenda, which will be negotiated during the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention of Biodiversity (CBD) to be held in Kunming in Oct. 2021,” said Ms. Trankmann. 

On behalf of Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Yunnan Province (FGBYP), Mr. Wang Weibin, Deputy Director General of Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Yunnan Province, gave the speech and expressed his congratulation for the official launch of the project. FGBYP attaches great importance to biodiversity conservation. The first natural reserve in Yunnan, the Xishuangbanna Natural Reserve, was established as early as in 1958. Over the past sixty years, 11 categories and 362 nature reserves have been established in Yunnan province, accounting for 14.32% of the total land area of China, which protects 90% of the provincial ecosystem and 85% rare and endangered animal and plant species. In the meanwhile, efforts have been taken to explore the effective conservation mechanism and model. The Four Initiatives and Three Innovations have been achieved. The project implementation will focus on the exploration of the new ways and measures for biodiversity conservation and instill vigor and energy to biodiversity conservation in Yunnan. It will also create opportunities for the extension of the research chain and value chain of biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization in Yunnan in the future. Not only will the biodiversity conservation mechanism be optimized, but it will also provide Yunnan wisdom and more Yunnan strategies. 

Mr. Yu Lei from Dr. PLANT expressed thanks for the trust given by UNDP and help provided by experts from YAFG. “It is a great honor to witness the establishment of the project in Kunming. As the first project set up by the Chinese skincare enterprises with the UN, I am fully aware of our important responsibility. With the help of technology, I firmly believe Dr. PLANT will thrive,” said Mr. Yu. 

On behalf of FGBYP, President Zhong read out the document on the establishment of the Project Steering Committee (PSC).    

Members of the PSC and experts spoke highly of the project and provided suggestions and comments to the Project Inception Report and the Two-year Plan. 

At the end of the inception, witnessed by all the participants, Director Ma from UNDP China and Vice President Yun XinHua from YAFG hosted the Awarding Ceremony for PMO, representing the official launch of the project. 

This project is the first one set up by the Chinese skincare enterprises with the UN. The expected results of the project include: (1) Establishing a comprehensive national standard system of biodiversity conservation and a group standard/guideline on the raw material and production areas of alpine plant diversity conservation for cosmetic products manufacturing enterprises in China; (2) Piloting community-based biodiversity conservation and ABS action models by demonstration;(3) Supporting the AI technology based intelligent monitoring in environmental protection and biodiversity management in Yunnan Province; and (4) Improving biodiversity conservation capacity building and public awareness to promote the mainstreaming process of ecological conservation in Yunnan. 

President Zhong concluded that YAFG appreciated supports from relevant units and trust given by UNDP. YAFG will optimize the allocation of human resources. By strictly complying with the management procedures of UNDP and requirements of FGBYP, YAFG will carry out the project implementation to provide technical support to the biodiversity conservation. 

After the inception, participants of the Inception visited the demonstration site for cultivation under forest in Kunming Arboretum, the Orchids Germ Plasm Resources Garden, etc. 

Directors of the President Office, the Project Management Office, the Accounting Office also attended the Inception.