Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

AN opening ceremony of the country’s first High-level Forum on Mangrove Conservation was held yesterday at Wuzhou Guest House in  Futian District.

The forum aims to further consolidate global consensus, promote mangrove protection, and show the world China’s willingness to act for mangrove conservation.

It is an important action to implement the outcome of the 14th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held last November.

The forum has attracted 160 representatives from 29 countries, the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands, and international organizations such as the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

The forum includes a ministerial roundtable, a plenary meeting, and a photo exhibition on wetland protection in the countries.

At the forum, the International Mangrove Conservation Fund was officially launched.

The fund, jointly initiated by the Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation (MCF) and Shenzhen-based Ping An Group, will financially support international cooperation, scientific research and restoration of mangrove.

At the ministerial roundtable, a joint statement was adopted, which states that governments of countries are encouraged to include mangrove conservation and sustainable use in their national planning to maximize wetlands’ ecological and socioeconomic benefits.

The statement also calls for jointly exploring sustainable financing mechanisms and cooperation in areas such as knowledge sharing, scientific research, technology exchange and training, and pilot projects.

The forum will run through Friday.

Since COP14 last November, the Chinese Government has guided and participated in the important affairs of the Convention, improved international exchange and cooperation mechanisms, and prepared for the establishment of the international mangrove center.

China’s mangrove area increased by more than 7,200 hectares compared to the beginning of this century, making the country one of the few countries in the world with a net increase in mangrove area, according to the forum.

Shenzhen is rich in mangrove. In the last 10 years,  43.33 hectares of mangrove forest have been restored.

(More on P2, 3)