กก 1. Project Summary and Relationships to China's Agenda 21 This project will address the over-exploitation of grassland resources and ecological environmental deterioration in the Qinghai Lake region. It will protect weak ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, encourage sustainable use of plateau resources, realise socio-economic development through an overall strategy of eco-environmental protection. This will include measures such as creating a national park, developing tourism, and protection and use natural resources on a sustainable basis. The implementation of this project will provide a demonstration for healthy socio-economic development in minority areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The project is based on programme areas 14H and 20C of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas 14D, 15A and 16A. กก 2. Background Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China and a saline plateau lake, is located in the Northeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The region around Qinghai Lake is of great value to the scientific community. Bird Island and the wetlands around the lake are not only important to provincial and national conservation, but have also been placed on the list of internationally important wetlands. However, climate change and other anthropogenic factors have resulted in serious ecological problems including a lowering of the lake level, desertification, deterioration in vegetation, a sharp drop in fishery resources, destruction of bird habitats, pollution, and so forth. More than eighty percent of the lake regionís inhabitants are minorities, of which Tibetans are the majority. The Qinghai Lake region is also one of the most important developing regions in Qinghai province. The state of socio-economic development is tied not only to the quality of life for the minority people, but also influences the stability and sustainability of regional socio-economic development. The lake region has been regarded as one of the most important developing regions in both the Ninth Five-Year Plan and the Long Term Targets for the Year 2010. The region is also the subject of two major research projects in the Ninth Five-Year Plan: the State Science and Technology Commissionís ìFormation, evolution, environmental change and sustainable development of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" and the Ministry of Agricultureís study on comprehensive technology for grassland animal husbandry. With the emphasis on transfer of Chinese economic development from East to West, the regions' economy must be rapidly developed. Research on resources, environment, ecology and social economy in the region has already yielded fruitful results. Related research projects have included the following: ìEcological-environmental Plan for the Qinghai Lake region", ìEvolution and forecast of the ecological environment in the Qinghai Lake region,", ìThe lowering of the Qinghai Lake level and protective measures," ìRational grazing plans for the high-altitude pastures and improving animal husbandry," ìFish resources of Qinghai Lake," and a feasibility study on ecological protection and sustainable development in the Qinghai Lake region. These and many other research projects will serve as a solid theoretical and practical foundation for this project. In addition, the government of Qinghai province, the Science and Technology Commission, and other units expressed willingness to help organise, manage, coordinate, provide technical expertise and provide matching funds for this project. กก 3. Objectives 3.1 Long-term Objective To promote socio-economic development of Qinghai Lake, while ensuring rational resource use, and eco-environmental protection. To serve as a demonstration of healthy socio-economic development in a minority region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. 3.2 Immediate Objectives * To develop an overall plan for sustainable development and rational national resource use in the Qinghai Lake region; * To implement comprehensive technology for animal husbandry, establish a 500 hectares core region for animal husbandry, and a 5000 hectares demonstration region for grassland resource use and protection. Develop new practical technology for biological control of damage caused by rodents; * To introduce and use of new energy sources, including biogas, wind and solar energy; * To protect endemic, rare, and endangered species, rationally use biological resources, and develop the regionís economy. กก 4. Outputs and Activities 4.1 Develop an overall strategy for sustainable development of the Qinghai Lake region. * Establish a sustainable development indicator system, economic development plan, and environmental protection measures; * Establish a database of environmental management and social-economic information; * Identify and develop a model of sustainable resource use in the vulnerable plateau ecosystem. Monitoring Indicators: ecological environmental assessment system; a database of ecological and social-economic information; a report on overall development strategy and the protective measures; a model of sustainable natural resources use. Implementing Agencies: Qinghai Provincial Science and Technology Commission, Qinghai Provincial Planning and Economic Commission, Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Time Schedule: January 1997 - June 1998 4.2 Production system and demonstration of sustainable development of grassland livestock husbandry in the Qinghai Lake region. * Establish the 500 hectares core and 5,000 hectares demonstration regions of sustainable grasslands animal husbandry; set up a training centre for grassland management and productive technology; * Resolve technical issues on the restoration of degraded grasslands ecosystems; build 1000 hectares of artificial or semi-artificial pasture; * Set nutritional standards for yak and Tibetan sheep; use techniques to raise and fatten livestock by set up 1-2 centres for fattening livestock and processing animal products; * Explore and create 1-2 new techniques of biological control for damage caused by rodents; reduce economic losses caused by rodents by 80 percent within five years. Monitoring Indicators: 5,000 hectare demonstration region and 500 hectare core region; animal fattening centre; livestock product processing centre; yak and Tibetan sheep nutritional standards established; rodent control technique. Implementing Agencies: Qinghai Provincial Science and Technology Commission, Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology of CAS, Qinghai Academy of Livestock Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000 4.3 Ecological environmental protection of Bird Island and establishment of a national nature park. * Build high quality protective fences to prevent the herd conservation area from damage by domestic wild animals; * Establish the brush wind-prevention system on the west of Bird Island, in order to mitigate the impact of heavy winds on Bird Island environment; * Create a nature park round the Qinghai Lake region and open a few new tourist routes in Bird Island. * Develop 2-3 new tourist locations in the national nature park and other places of Qinghai Lake, and begin an eco-tourism system by 2000. Monitoring Indicators: 100 km2 of protective fences; two 3x3,000 square meters of brush wind-protecting systems; new tourist locations and a national nature park. Implementing Agencies: Qinghai Provincial Science and Technology Commission, Environmental Protection Bureau of Qinghai province, and Tourism Bureau of Qinghai province. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000. 4. 4 Protection, exploitation and utilisation of natural resources in Qinghai Lake region. * Build an artificial reproduction and breeding centre of the naked carp (Gymnocypris przewalskii), breed 10 million fish per year; * Construct a reproduction centre for rare and endangered plateau animals; * Choose 100 families of farmers or herdsmen in the Qinghai Lake region to train and teach the techniques of utilising new energy resources, such as biogas, wind, and solar energy; mitigate the fuel shortage problem for residents within one or two years; * Introduce equipment for harnessing wind and solar energy in the demonstration region, bring electricity for lighting and alternative energy for fuels for farmers and herdsmen in the region. Monitoring Indicators: 10 million young naked carp per year bred by the artificial reproduction and breeding centre; a reproduction and protection centre for animals; eco-tourism system by the year 2000; meeting the electricity and fuel needs for farmers and herdsmen in the demonstration region. Implementing Agencies: Qinghai Provincial Science and Technology Commission, Environmental Protection Bureau of Qinghai province, and Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000 กก 5. Inputs 5.1 Chinese Inputs Chinese inputs will be used for training provincial and local workers, technology development, expert consultation, construction of basic facilities, and project coordination. 5.2 International Inputs International inputs will be used for foreign consultants, training service, introduction of techniques and equipment etc. 5.3 Budget The total capital needed for this project is US$ 9 million. The Chinese side will raise US$ 4.65 million, while foreign aid and investment will cover US$ 4.35 million. กก Table 1. Budget by Item (in million US dollars)
กก Table 2. Budget by Output (in million US dollars)
กก 6. Benefits Project implementation will help protect the ecological environment of the Qinghai Lake region, reduce the deterioration of the ecological environment, protect bird habitats, protect wild animals and plants resources and biodiversity, promote socio-economic development, and act as a demonstration of sustainable development in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Upon completion, this project will have brought a gross output value of RMB 250 million yuan by the year 2000. The increased economic benefits will amount to 40 million Chinese Yuan, including 20 million Chinese yuan from agriculture, livestock husbandry, and fishery production. กก 7. Risks The lake is in a high-altitude, cold region, which may adversely affect or impede project implementation. It would be best if some of the scientists, engineers, and technicians chosen for the project are already accustomed to the climate and environmental conditions of the plateau. The regionís environmental characteristics must be given serious consideration in the design and implementation of the project. It is very important for the funds of this project to be paid in time. It would be best if the Government of Qinghai province is involved in project management, including coordinating the plans, strengthening integration, and helping to procure the required funds. Text Browser Utilities: |Back| |ACCA21 Home| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||