China Green Carbon Foundation

—Remarks at the 10th Anniversary of the New Generation Plantations Platform

Dr. Li Nuyun

Executive Vice Chairman of the Directors Board, China Green Carbon Foundation

June 21, 2017 in London

Ten years ago, I was deputy director of the Department of Afforestation of State Forestry Administration of China, and I was responsibility for quality control of China’s forest plantation and relevant standards development. 

Although we had the largest afforestation area, China had various problems regarding afforestation quality, including using single species, high plantation density, slowly growing rate… etc. Especially for timber forest, there were problems such as low productive rate, and low utilization effectiveness of forest land. For instance, in China, the unit plantation average stock volume was 49 cubic meters per hectare, and the Eucalyptus plantation average stock volume was only 18 cubic meters per hectare, far below the average stock volume of Eucalyptus planted forest in Brazil. These problems seriously affected China's timber supply.

Since 1998, Chinese government has implemented Six Key Forestry Programs, five of which are afforestation projects, namely, Natural Forest Protection Program, Returning Farmland to Forest or Grassland Program, Green Great Wall and Yangzi River Basin Shelter Forest Program, Desertification Control Program, and Fast-growing Commercial Plantation Program.

The implementation of those programs accelerated the afforestation efforts in China.

Therefore, in order to develop the artificial forests more effectively, we should not only focus on the speed of plantation or the output of timber forest , but also emphasize the ecological benefits of afforestation, especially the functions of forestry for climate change mitigation and adaptation

While we were looking for methods to improve plantation projects in China, I was luckily invited to participate in the “New Generation Plantation” program launched in Edinburg, UK, on October 15, 2007. For the first time, representatives from the Forestry Commission of UK , Forestry Bureau of Sabah, Malaysia and some famous pulp and paper mill companies also some WWF offices in the world，and I got together to discuss the sustainable management of global plantations.

Over the past ten years, the team has grown with more enterprises and institutions joining us. Since 2007, there have been annual study tours and biennial workshops organized globally. The topics discussed and studied during New Generation Plantation Programs includes: The Global Objective of Plantation Development; Sustainable Forest Management Approach; The significance of forest high conservation value; How to seek for maximum production from plantation and balancing water resources, biodiversity conservation, and promoting sustainable community development, especially in the areas where paper pulp resources like eucalyptus and pine forest are planted in a large scale; How to pay attention to local communities’ child education, ecosystem conservation and promote their life condition. 

NGP projects drive the development of local economy, and also improve local people’s living standards. In the context of addressing globe climate change, NGP also initiated projects emphasizing the carbon and non-carbon benefits of forestry.

It’s my honor that, I participated in those events and provided my expertise. 

There is an old saying in China: It takes a decade of persistent efforts to grind a sword. Based on ten years of NGP efforts, with projects, study tours, and workshops, we grinded a powerful sword!

The main achievements are the NGP serial best practices and guidelines for guiding project implementation. I saw the best practice of eucalyptus plantation combined with local grazing development to promoting local communities’ sustainable development in Brazil, and forestry pulp paper companies improved their efficiency and provided education resources for local communities combined with the development of eco-friendly products.

I learned the significance of paying more attention to the high biodiversity area forest conservation actions, and the concepts and methods for sustainable plantation.

The most important achievement is that we initiated sustainable forest management globally, not only through guidelines, but also through implementable global best practices.

For 10 years, more entities have joined NGP, and more pilot projects or demonstration projects were launched, showing a good momentum of future development.

As a Chinese forestry government officer and Secretary General of China Green Carbon Foundation, I continued to participate in NGP events and activities during the past ten years. Thanks to all I gained from NGP, I successfully applied NGP concepts and best practices into plantation projects developed by my team. For example, forest carbon projects developed by my team successfully implemented the concepts from NGP guidelines, and we utilized the methodology and promoted plantation combined with biodiversity conservation measures.

We also established farmer’s forest management carbon trading system in China; by promoting broad participation of society, increasing plantation project implementation efficiency with joined efforts, and inspiring local farmers’ willingness for forest conservation and management, we demonstrated a brand-new approach for ecological compensation in Chinese.

In 2013, we introduced NGP concepts and guidelines to the book Sustainable Forest Cultivation and Management Practices, which was broadly broadcasted in China. I appreciated the international exchanging opportunities provided by NGP, and devoted myself to inviting international experts to share their experiences and expertise.

I highly valued the 5 NGP study tours or workshops hosted in China. Each time, I led the tour agenda design and field trip route design myself with WWF Beijing Officers during the preparation, in order to provide more opportunities for foreign colleagues to understand China’s ecological conservation, forestry development and plantation efforts, and then they can provide more practical suggestions and advises.

I am glad to see The Gansu Province Study Tour organized last month achieved fruitful outcomes: there are new connections between “One Belt One Road” policy promoted by Chinese Government and NGP. A New Concept, “Green One Belt One Road,” was delivered by the study tour participants. This new concept draws a blueprint for leading One Belt One Road Countries to take actions together on biodiversity conservation and vegetation restoration, and introducing NGP concepts and demonstrations to more and more countries.

Ten years, NGP gradually developed and gained lots of achievements. We need to thank Mr. LUIS! Without his great efforts for NGP development in the past decade, NGP could not have achieved so much today!  I admire his rigorous scientific attitude and detailed work style. He has made great contributions to the development of NGP!

I am so lucky that during my 30 years’ career, I spent a decade accompanied by NGP from its birth to later development, and gained friendship with colleagues like Mr. LIUS. I am glad that we built up a solid project partnership and took efforts together in the past decade. The friendship is precious and I am so lucky to enjoy it! Thanks, NGP！Thanks, ten years! 

In particular, I would like to note that China Green Carbon Foundation has been founded for 7 years, during which NGP accompanies CGCF from birth!

At the early stage of its establishment, CGCF co-organized with WWF Beijing to host NGP’s Chinese event. Meanwhile, NGP supported CGCF’s capacity building, invited CGCF staffs to participate in global activities, providing opportunities and platform for CGCF and its team.   

I believe that with our joint efforts and cooperation, NGP would enjoy a better future!