Biodiversity Conservation in China
一、秉持人与自然和谐共生理念I. Harmony Between Humanity and Nature
二、提高生物多样性保护成效II. Increasing the Efficiency of Biodiversity Conservation
三、提升生物多样性治理能力III. Improving Biodiversity Governance
四、深化全球生物多样性保护合作IV. Further Global Cooperation on Biodiversity ConservationPreface
“生物多样性”是生物（动物、植物、微生物）与环境形成的生态复合体以及与此相关的各种生态过程的总和，包括生态系统、物种和基因三个层次。生物多样性关系人类福祉，是人类赖以生存和发展的重要基础。人类必须尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，加大生物多样性保护力度，促进人与自然和谐共生。
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species (plants, animals and microorganisms) in their natural environments and the aggregate of the related ecological processes. It is measured on three levels: genes, species and ecosystems. Biodiversity is the basis for human survival and development and has a direct bearing on our wellbeing. Humans must respect nature and follow its ways. We must conserve biodiversity to protect nature and live in harmony with it.
1972年，联合国召开人类环境会议，与会各国共同签署了《人类环境宣言》，生物资源保护被列入二十六项原则之中。1993年，《生物多样性公约》正式生效，公约确立了保护生物多样性、可持续利用其组成部分以及公平合理分享由利用遗传资源而产生的惠益三大目标，全球生物多样性保护开启了新纪元。
In 1972, at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the attending nations signed the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which included the conservation of bio-resources in its 26 principles. In 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity came into effect, which set three objectives – the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, ushering in a new era for the protection of global biodiversity.
中国幅员辽阔，陆海兼备，地貌和气候复杂多样，孕育了丰富而又独特的生态系统、物种和遗传多样性，是世界上生物多样性最丰富的国家之一。中国的传统文化积淀了丰富的生物多样性智慧，“天人合一”“道法自然”“万物平等”等思想和理念体现了朴素的生物多样性保护意识。作为最早签署和批准《生物多样性公约》的缔约方之一，中国一贯高度重视生物多样性保护，不断推进生物多样性保护与时俱进、创新发展，取得显著成效，走出了一条中国特色生物多样性保护之路。
China’s land and sea territories are both vast; its complex terrain and diverse climate gave birth to unique ecosystems, abundant species, and rich genetic variety. As one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, China has a profound understanding of biodiversity, as manifest in traditional Chinese culture and these aphorisms: “Man is an integral part of nature”; “Dao follows the laws of nature”; and “All beings are equal”. China, as one of the first countries to sign and approve the Convention on Biological Diversity, has always attached great importance to biodiversity conservation and preserves biodiversity with creative and up-to-date measures, achieving substantial progress on a distinctively Chinese path of conservation.
中共十八大以来，在习近平生态文明思想引领下，中国坚持生态优先、绿色发展，生态环境保护法律体系日臻完善、监管机制不断加强、基础能力大幅提升，生物多样性治理新格局基本形成，生物多样性保护进入新的历史时期。当前，全球物种灭绝速度不断加快，生物多样性丧失和生态系统退化对人类生存和发展构成重大风险。2020年9月30日，习近平主席在联合国生物多样性峰会上指出，要站在对人类文明负责的高度，探索人与自然和谐共生之路，凝聚全球治理合力，提升全球环境治理水平。中国将秉持人类命运共同体理念，继续为全球环境治理贡献力量。
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, China has been prioritizing eco-environmental progress and pursuing green development under the guidance of Xi Jinping thought on eco-civilization. A new pattern of biodiversity conservation has largely taken shape, with improvements to the legal system, supervision mechanisms and governing capacity for eco-conservation, marking the beginning of a new era for biodiversity conservation in China. Currently, as species worldwide are becoming extinct at an alarming rate, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose a major risk to human survival and development. On September 30, 2020, at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that the whole of humanity needs to take on its pressing responsibilities, find a way for human and nature to coexist in harmony, and build synergy for and enhance global governance on the environment. Guided by the vision of building a global community of shared future, China will continue to contribute its part to global environmental governance.
为介绍中国生物多样性保护理念和实践，增进国际社会对中国生物多样性保护的了解，特发布本白皮书。
The Chinese government is publishing this white paper to present China’s ideas, plans and actions on biodiversity conservation, and share its progress with the international community.
I. Harmony Between Humanity and Nature
To realize the Beautiful China initiative under a new situation, China is improving the measures for biodiversity conservation and creating new frameworks for this purpose. In its pursuit of harmony between humanity and nature, between individuals, and between the individual and society, China endeavors to create a virtuous circle for all-round development and prolonged prosperity for all.
面对全球生物多样性丧失和生态系统退化，中国秉持人与自然和谐共生理念，坚持保护优先、绿色发展，形成了政府主导、全民参与，多边治理、合作共赢的机制，推动中国生物多样性保护不断取得新成效，为应对全球生物多样性挑战作出新贡献。
In addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, China upholds the philosophy of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, prioritizing biodiversity conservation and seeking green development. It has established conservation mechanisms led by the government and featuring multilateral governance and win-win cooperation, in which all citizens participate. This way, China keeps making progress and contributing to efforts in global biodiversity conservation.
——坚持尊重自然、保护优先。牢固树立尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然的理念，在社会发展中优先考虑生物多样性保护，以生态本底和自然禀赋为基础，科学配置自然和人工保护修复措施，对重要生态系统、生物物种及遗传资源实施有效保护，保障生态安全和生物安全。
– Respecting nature and prioritizing biodiversity conservation. China follows the principles of respecting and protecting nature and obeying nature’s laws, and prioritizes biodiversity conservation in social development. Given its eco-environment and natural resources, China has balanced its natural and artificial measures for the conservation and restoration of important ecosystems, species and genetic resources, to ensure ecological security and biological security.
——坚持绿色发展、持续利用。践行“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念，将生物多样性作为可持续发展的基础、目标和手段，科学、合理和可持续利用生物资源，给自然生态留下休养生息的时间和空间，推动生产和生活方式的绿色转型和升级，从保护自然中寻找发展机遇，实现生物多样性保护和经济高质量发展双赢。
– Seeking green development and sustainable utilization of bio-resources. China cherishes the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and sees biodiversity as the foundation, objective and means of sustainable development. It has endeavored to promote the efficient and sustainable utilization of bio-resources, to allow nature to restore itself. It promotes green ways of life and work, and seeks development opportunities while preserving nature, to achieve win-win results in both biodiversity conservation and high-quality development.
——坚持制度先行、统筹推进。不断强化生物多样性保护国家战略地位，长远谋划顶层设计，分级落实主体责任，建立健全政府主导、企业行动和公众参与的生物多样性保护长效机制。强化中国生物多样性保护国家委员会统筹协调作用，持续完善生物多样性保护、可持续利用和惠益分享相关法律法规和政策制度，构建生物多样性保护和治理新格局。
– Enhancing institutional guarantee and coordinating actions for biodiversity conservation. China has strengthened biodiversity conservation as a national strategy through long-range planning and top-level design, specifying the primary responsibilities at all levels, and improving long-term conservation mechanisms led by the government and facilitated by enterprises with public participation. The China National Committee for Biodiversity Conservation (CNCBC) has taken on a stronger coordinating role. Constant efforts have been made to improve laws, regulations and policies concerning biodiversity conservation, sustainable utilization of bio-resources, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits. All the above efforts are aimed at building a new model for biodiversity conservation and governance.
——坚持多边主义、合作共赢。加强生物多样性保护，促进人与自然和谐共生，已成为国际交流对话的重要内容。中国坚定支持生物多样性多边治理体系，切实履行《生物多样性公约》及其他相关环境条约义务，积极承担与发展水平相称的国际责任，向其他发展中国家提供力所能及的援助，不断深化生物多样性领域交流合作，携手应对全球生物多样性挑战，为实现人与自然和谐共生美好愿景发挥更大作用。
– Upholding multilateralism and win-win cooperation. Living in harmony with nature through greater efforts on biodiversity conservation becomes an important topic for international exchanges and dialogue. China firmly supports a multilateral biodiversity governance system, fulfills its obligations prescribed in the Convention on Biological Diversity and other environmental treaties, and takes on international responsibilities commensurate to its development stage. China has been providing assistance within its ability to other developing countries, and strengthening exchanges and cooperation on biodiversity to jointly meet global challenges. It endeavors to play a greater role in realizing the vision of harmony between humanity and nature.
