On February 25, 2013, supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF)- Priority Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development to Implement China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action (CBPF-IS Project), Demonstration Project on Liaoning Provincial Payment for Ecological Services PES Legislation for Water Basin Environment Protection was officially launched. Chaired by Li Pei, Deputy Director General of Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (FECO/MEP), the meeting was attended by Chen Liang, Deputy Director General of FECO/MEP, Christophe Bahuet, Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Zhu Jinghai, Director General of Liaoning Provincial Environmental Protection Department, Wang Bingjie, Director General of Environmental Construction Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, who delivered speeches respectively. At the meeting, Mr. Chen Liang and Mr. Zhu Jinghai signed the Project Cooperation Agreement.
Mr. Zhu Jinghai introduced in his speech the progress and achievements made in basin water environment management in Liaoning Province and pointed out that payment for ecological services (PES) will be conducive to the realization of comparative advantages for both Liao River upstream and downstream, which will contribute to a triple-win of water resources conservation, economic development and society harmony. Mr. Zhu added that Liaoning Provincial Department of Environmental Protection would take the opportunity offered by the demonstration project and work closely with relevant departments to make the cooperation with FECO/MEP a success.
Mr. Christophe Bahuet in his speech focused on the work performed by the UNDP in recent years in areas related to biodiversity conservation and PES, and he reiterated how much biological diversity, ecological compensation and protection of the water environment could possibly mean to both China and the world.
Mr. Chen Liang pointed out that the Ministry (MEP) attaches great importance to PES- the seventh national conference on environmental protection and the document No. 39 issued by the State Council both demanded that attention should be paid to the establishment of PES mechanism. The “Provision on Liaoning Province Liaohe River Basin Water Pollution Control” stipulates “establishing protection areas for drinking water source and PES mechanism for rivers and reservoirs upstream, with an aim to protect water environment; establishing a mechanism to compensate for water quality of river section exceeding the criteria at the junction of city and county”. With the leadership of Liaoning provincial government, the trend of heavy pollution of Liao River had been reversed. In view of the fact that the establishment of PES mechanism for basin water environment in Liaoning would be vitally important to maintain, intensify and consolidate the management of Liao River, FECO/MEP and UNDP decided to select Liaoning as the demonstration site for PES Legislation.
Chen Liang also pointed out that the PES mechanism is vitally significant to ecological civilization, which not only serves the integrated objectives of economic, political, cultural and social construction, but also lays a solid foundation and remain as the prerequisite. It was wished, as he added, that the demonstration project would benefit Liao River management and become conducive to the development of a national PES legislative framework.
The demonstration project on PES legislation for water basin environment protection in Liaoning Province is supposed to provide the development of national PES legislation with related references to policy recommendation and implementation practice. As many as 100 representatives from relevant departments of Liaoning Province and executing agencies of the Project participated in the event.
