Green development delivering benefits
At the foot of a hill by the Lhasa River, Tibetanstyle tents stand out against the backdrop of the remote Potala Palace, creating an idyllic setting where Konchok Tenzin is picnicking with his family.
Pointing to the verdant hills, Konchok Tenzin, who is from Lhasa, capital city of the Xizang autonomous region, said: “The once bare mountains are now cloaked in lush greenery, and the overall appearance of Lhasa has improved a lot.”
Green development in Xizang has brought tangible benefits to the locals, not just in terms of an improved environment but also through increased job opportunities.
Furthermore, with the law on ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau coming into effect on Sept 1, efforts to protect the pristine environment of Xizang — a core part of the plateau — will be guarded by the legal measures.
At an afforestation site in the Palding Mountain of Lhasa, Dorje, who is from Namling county in Shigatse city, is pausing to rest beside the sea buckthorn plants he has recently planted.
The 39-year-old finds himself employed in Lhasa, thanks to the collaborations forged by Namling county in 2022 with about a dozen research institutes and businesses in Xizang. Through these partnerships, more than 600 farmers from the county have gained access to employment opportunities, broadening their income streams beyond traditional activities such as cultivating highland barley and raising livestock.
“At first, it didn’t occur to me that planting trees could also generate income, but now I find many people like me are living off ecological conservation,” said Dorje, adding that the afforestation efforts in the mountains of Lhasa have offered jobs for them, yielding a monthly income of more than 6,000 yuan ($841) for each.
The benefits stemming from green development have motivated local residents to become more self-driven in their commitment to environmental protection, with the new ecological conservation law providing a framework of legal support.
The law, with 63 articles in seven chapters, was passed in April. It outlines the overall layout of plateau ecology security, specifying measures for protection and restoration, risk prevention and management, as well as provisions for supervision.
It is the first state-level legislation specializing in the regulation of ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as “the roof of the world”, with an area of about 1 million square miles, spans six provincial-level regions in western China. It is the source of several major rivers of Asia, such as the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong rivers.
It is also one of the regions most sensitive to global climate change.
With the law coming into force, the concept of ecological civilization will be carried forward in Xizang, and local wildlife will enjoy better protection, said Zhang Xiuyu, director of the Institute of Ecological Civilization and Green Development of the Guangdong Academy of Environmental Sciences, who has frequented Xizang as a researcher.
“Apart from afforestation projects, river cleansing initiatives across Xizang have led to the continuous improvement of the water environment,” Zhang added.
Since 2018, Xizang has implemented the system of river chiefs and lake chiefs, where each river or lake is assigned an official in charge.
The new law also includes provisions for dealing with unruly travelers. It prescribes penalties for those who litter on the plateau, stipulating that individuals with serious violations shall be fined between 500 and 10,000 yuan.
It provides support to personnel working at tourist attractions in Xizang, alleviating the challenges they previously faced, such as the accumulation of garbage in scenic areas, especially during the bustling summer season.
“The implementation of the law will raise public awareness of environmental protection and discourage misbehavior by tourists,” said Lhapa Tsering, a staff member of the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve Administration.