Online giants join to preserve nature
The Paradise International Foundation and 22 other public welfare organizations have launched an alliance to operate land trust reserves in China, aiming to cover 1 percent of the country’s land by 2030.
The alliance envisions a platform to allow nonprofit environmental organizations to share their working experiences, establish standards and evaluation systems for environmental protection and share successful experiences, thus helping the participants better protect the nature reserves.
Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and co-chairman of the Paradise International Foundation, stressed at a recent land trust reserves meeting in Beijing that the public welfare activities need more energy and attention from the public.
“Public welfare activities are more than sending handouts, as they should be public-spirited with commercial operations,” Ma said. “Attaining China’s best young talents, technologies, financial resources and social influence, Alibaba and Tencent need to make good use of the platforms to help more people.”
Pony Ma, CEO of China’s internet behemoth Tencent, said that as technology continues to develop, people will have more time to get close to nature, and therefore should be more devoted to environmental protection.
“Tencent has spent 10 years practicing and exploring public welfare. We hope to give full play to Tencent’s advantages, closely connect platforms, donors, public welfare organizations, cor-
Alibaba and Tencent need to make good use of the platforms to help more people.” Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and co-chairman of the Paradise International Foundation
porations and beneficiaries. Tencent will continue to serve as a connector, building up public welfare platforms based on internet so that more people could participate,” Pony Ma said.
Founded by Chinese philanthropists in 2015, the Shenzhen-based nonprofit Paradise International Foundation is devoted to protecting the environment and wildlife. Jack Ma and Pony Ma serve as co-chairmen of the foundation.
The foundation is also a major initiator of the alliance to protect public welfare reserved areas. Other backers include the Alibaba Foundation, Tencent Foundation and the World Wide Fund for Nature.
“By launching such an alliance, nonprofit institutions dedicated to protecting trust reserves are able to share their working experiences on the platform,” said Zhang Shuang, CEO of the Paradise International Foundation.
Lyv Zhi, founder of Beijingbased Shanshui Conservation Center and professor at Peking University, said more efforts on the part of nongovernmental organizations and the public will fill the gaps left by the current nature reserve system.