The Ministry of Ecology and Environment holds a press conference on April 28. (PHOTO: COURTESY PHOTO)

By Staff Reporters

The theme of this year's International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), observed on May 22, is "Be Part of the Plan." IDB 2024 calls on all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan.

For this year's IDB, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and the Hainan provincial government will organize activities jointly. Representatives from state departments, as well as delegates from parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the EU, UN organizations and other international organizations will also participate in various activities, according to an MEE press conference.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to biodiversity conservation.

At the beginning of this year, the MEE issued the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-30), promoting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and advancing global biodiversity governance, according to Pei Xiaofei, MEE spokesperson. The action plan has been submitted to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, Canada.

Looking back in history, China was one of the first countries to sign the Convention on Biological Diversity in June 1992, showing its dedication to global biodiversity preservation.

Demonstrating this commitment, since then, the government has issued more than 40 policy documents on the construction of an ecological civilization. It has also issued or revised over 30 laws and regulations on the protection of the environment, wild animals, the marine environment and other sectors.

The action plan commits that at least 30 percent of degraded ecosystems in terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine areas will be restored by 2030.

The commitment and efforts have led to remarkable results. China has established 11,800 protected areas of various types and levels, protecting 90 percent of vegetation types and terrestrial ecosystem types, 65 percent of higher plant communities, and 85 percent of key protected wildlife populations.

An official guideline has also been issued to strengthen law enforcement, protection, and restoration, and maintain the national ecological protection red line area above 3.15 million square kilometers.