In 2017, the Chinese environmental NGO, Friends of Nature, set a precedent by taking legal action against a dam developer in Yunnan province, revealing how essential it is to hold developers accountable for their climate impacts.
This move showcased the need for comprehensive environmental impact assessments to accurately gauge the consequences of large-scale projects on the environment, specifically the endangered green peafowl and the surrounding rainforest.
In 2020, a court ruling halted the dam’s construction, shedding light on a systemic issue within China’s ecological compensation system.
Developers often assess their own environmental impacts, raising questions about objectivity and the environment’s welfare.
China’s unique system involves developers assessing their projects’ environmental impacts and either addressing these impacts or paying restoration fees to the government.
Our research highlights the complexities of this approach and what the world can learn from it.
In our analysis of 31 projects across China, we discovered that only a few used quantitative metrics to measure their impact on biodiversity, which is not mandatory.
This lack of standardized measurements undermines the reliability of compensation programs.
Developers are encouraged to design restoration and compensation schemes, but they are not obliged to restore habitats similar to those lost, potentially resulting in habitat degradation and species loss. When developers cannot restore nature themselves, they must pay restoration fees to the government.
Unfortunately, transparency in this process is lacking. Fewer than 1% of local governments in China disclose restoration fees collection and expenditure, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of compensation projects.
Due to the absence of adequate metrics and information, it is nearly impossible to evaluate the outcomes of compensation projects, leaving biodiversity vulnerable on development sites.
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China’s central government should consider implementing unified indicators for biodiversity impact measurements and improve compensation governance. Establishing a public national offset register could enhance transparency.
Other countries could learn from China’s model by encouraging developers to pay upfront restoration fees and promoting the strategic use of such fees for the benefit of both nature and people’s well-being, potentially serving as a model for ecological compensation worldwide.
Expanding on this innovative approach, African nations, particularly Nigeria, could adapt similar systems to address the environmental challenges arising from rapid economic development and infrastructure projects.
As many African countries experience a surge in development, they too must grapple with the trade-offs between economic progress and environmental conservation.
Nigeria, with its diverse ecosystems and rich biodiversity, stands to gain by adopting an ecological compensation system akin to China’s.
By requiring developers to assess and address their environmental impacts, or contribute to a government-managed fund for ecological restoration, Nigeria could balance its development needs with environmental sustainability.
In Africa, where many countries are global biodiversity hotspots, the need for effective ecological compensation measures is paramount.
A unified indicator framework for biodiversity impact measurements, compulsory for all development activities, could ensure that infrastructure projects genuinely contribute to environmental well-being.
Furthermore, establishing transparent systems for tracking and monitoring the effectiveness of compensation projects is crucial to safeguarding Africa’s unique ecosystems.
The success of China’s model offers a valuable lesson for African nations as they strive to achieve economic growth while safeguarding their natural heritage.
By holding developers accountable and prioritizing ecological compensation, Africa can find a sustainable path forward in the face of rapid development.
