In mid-October, UNEP-WCMC was pleased to welcome a high-level delegation of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), led by the Vice Administrator Peng Youdong, to discuss areas of mutual interest and priorities for future collaboration.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration oversees the conservation and management of China’s grasslands, forests, wetlands and wildlife. In addition, the Administration has lead responsibility for combatting land degradation and desertification, and oversees China’s nature reserve system.

UNEP-WCMC currently collaborates with the National Forestry and Grasslands Administration on several initiatives, and submitted a joint proposal to the Natural Science Foundation of China-UN Environment Fund. The Administration also recently endorsed UNEP-WCMC as an international think tank for China’s South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund.

Discussions concluded with an acknowledgement of many shared priorities including analysing wildlife trade data through CITES, employing nature-based solutions to help address climate change challenges, designing and piloting of China’s national park system, and providing technical and policy-related to South-South Cooperation projects.

Tim Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of WCMC, said: “The Centre’s expertise and experience fit very well with the remit of the Administration and there are a wealth of opportunities for collaboration. We are very excited about the establishment of a Chinese National Park system, and our strengthened presence in China will enable us to work closely with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and other partners in China.”

“We would like to thank the delegation for visiting us and look forward to working together on China’s national priorities, South-South Cooperation projects and on global environmental policy to further our shared conservation objectives” said Corli Pretorius, Deputy Director, UNEP-WCMC.