Governmental and NGOs
The World Conservation Congress (IUCN) Resolution (1996) [p.369]
THE WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS
(IUCN)
RESOLUTION CGR1.115
passed october 22,1996 in Montreal, Canada
COOPERATION BETWEEN IUCN AND THE PEOPLE�S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
RECOGNIZING and WELCOMING the participation of the People's Republic of China in IUCN as a State Member;
RECOGNIZING that China is among the first countries in the world to have signed the Agenda 21 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio in 1992, and a series of other major environmental conventions;
RECALLING the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Convention on Biological Diversity (Na. 92-7807) dated 5 June 1992; which states that the conservation of biological diversity is a common concern of humankind,that States have sovereign rights over their own biological resources, and that States are responsible for conserving their biological diversity and for using their biological resources in a sustainable manner;
RECALLING AND AFFIRMING the principles within the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, specifically the international responsibilities for each Contracting Party to conserve, manage and wisely use the wetlands habitat of migratory waterfowl;
RECALLING AND AFFIRMING Principle 22 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, adopted at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992, which declares: "Indigenous people and their communities and other local communities have a vital role in environmental management and development because of their knowledge and traditional practices. States should recognise and duly support their identity, culture, and interests and enable their effective participation in the achievement of sustainable development";
RECOGNIZING the effort that China has made in conserving its biodiversity, and the pressure that rapid economic development has brought on this;
AWARE that current Chinese laws and regulations provide for environmental impact assessment and public participation in the development process;
CONSCIOUS of the immeasurable value of such ecosystems as wetlands, lakesand plateaus, and habitat values for migratory and indigenous waterfowl in the Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau;
CONSCIOUS of the concern over the construction of a pump storage hydro-electric project at the Yamdrok Tso and the importance of lake resources;
The World Conservation Congress at its 1st Session in Montreal, Canada, 14-23 October 1996:
1. REQUESTS the Director General to offer China IUCN's assistance in support of China's current and future activities to address the environmental challenges it faces;
2. REQUESTS the Director General to offer special assistance to China in Environmental Impact Assessment, especially that in the field of biological resources conservation;
3. CALLS UPON parties concerned in China to strengthen their effort of cooperation with the international community in exchange of conservation information, including that related to the local environment of YamdrokTso;
4. CALLS UPON China to promote the construction and management of nature reserves, and to consider establishing a nature reserve in Yamdrok Tso;
5. CALLS UPON the IUCN Commissions, including the Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas, the Commission on Ecosystem Management, the Commission on Environmental Law, and the Species Survival Commission to work with China in identifying areas for collaboration on maintaining the ecological health of Yamdrok Tso, and on other important development and conservation projects, and to provide technical expertise on environmental matters.