January 28, 2010
PRESS STATEMENT
Triple-win Project gives new opportunity
for Hong Kong companies to contribute in climate care actions
Climate care actions in Hong Kong get a new push today as local integrated carbon solution provider Carbon Care Asia (CCA) presents a new opportunity to help the city’s businesses and organisations in offsetting their carbon emissions via a multiple benefit carbon credit project in NW Sichuan of China.
Validated by and registered with the CDM-Executive Board under the UNFCCC on 16 Nov 2009, the project is the world’s first CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) project, which simultaneously achieves CCB (Climate, Community, Biodiversity) standards. Throughout its five years of planning and development, the project — “Afforestation and Reforestation on Degraded Lands in Northwest Sichuan” — has received strong support from China’s forestation bureaux and forestry research institutes at both national and provincial levels and by environmental NGOs.
In a special briefing to introduce the Project today, CCA Board Chairman Mr Chong Chan Yau said, “Forestation is one of the four pillars in China’s low carbon economy development plan. As the richest and the most metropolitan city of China, Hong Kong has a natural responsibility to help realise what Premier Wen Jiabao has pledged to the world for an increased commitment in reducing China’s carbon emissions and carbon intensity in the years ahead. What else is better than funding an UN-recognised CDM project that contributes to good climate, a sustainable ecology and a better-off community? ”
Totalling over 2,250 hectares and with an initial project life of 20 years, the project’s contribution to carbon reduction is estimated to be 460,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or average 23,000 tonnes a year. The project activities will create over 1 million man-days of temporary employment from planting, weeding, tending and thinning. It will also create long-term job positions during the crediting period. Over 12,000 local farmers, including over 5,000 people of ethnic minorities, living in 28 villages in 21 townships will benefit from more income and a better environment.
Mr Guo Hengxiao, Deputy Head of the Sichuan Provincial Forestry Bureau, who flew to Hong Kong as the event’s special guest, remarked, “The development of forestation carbon credit projects help link up China’s forestry with the rest of the world. The new funds it attracts will speed up the greening of China and its ecological improvements. Through this and by participating in international carbon trading activities, the Sichuan Province is able to import new ideas and mechanisms in its forest ecological services. This helps us to become part of the climate change global mitigation action, enabling our people to make significant contributions to China’s sustainable development, economically and socially.”
The project is also located in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots — the Mountains of Southwest China, and within the forest eco-zone of the Upper Yangtze. Much of the afforested and reforested land it covers are close to the nature reserves where many precious and endangered wildlife species live, such as giant pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards. Cultivated with mixed native tree species, these manmade forests become an effective shield to protect the natural habitat of many wildlife species in the reserves nearby.
“Besides enthusiastic donors for Sichuan’s post-earthquake reconstruction, Hong Kong people love planting trees and the giant pandas, too. As unique and precious as the giant panda, the afforestation and reforestation project in NW Sichuan should be getting full support from Hong Kong’s business community, institutions and organisations, even the SAR Government,” Dr Trini Leung, CCA Executive Director, commented.
Companies, institutions and individuals in Hong Kong will now have the chance to bring benefits to the climate, indigenous communities and the ecology by purchasing carbon credits from the project. They can approach CCA for these unique carbon credits and for developing carbon management solutions in line with world trends.
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Photo captions:
- Mr Guo Hengxiao, Deputy Head of the Sichuan Provincial Forestry Bureau, spoke on the strategic importance of carbon credit projects to Sichuan’s forest ecological services and sustainable development.
- In his opening remarks, CCA Board Chairman Mr Chong Chan Yau emphasized the need for greater support from Hong Kong, China’s richest and most metropolitan city, in carbon reduction actions.
- Miss Mary Tsang (middle), Assistant Director of the Environmental Protection Department, with Mr Guo Hengxiao (left), Deputy Head of the Sichuan Provincial Forestry Bureau and Dr Trini Leung (right), CCA Executive Director.
- CCA Advisors, Prof H.X. Yang (2nd left) and Ir Dr Michael Leung (4th left), amidst the Sichuan delegates and CCA team members.
- During the panel discussion chaired by CCA Executive Director Dr Trini Leung (first Left), the Sichaun delegates (from 2nd left) — Deputy Director of Forestation Branch in Sichuan Provincial Forestry Bureau Mr Chen Zongqian, Deputy Chief of Daduhe Forestation Administration in Sichuan Province Mr Song Huajun and Community Conservation Project Coordinator of Shan Shui Conservation Centre Mr Deng Qiang — explained the supportive role played by their respective organisation in the development of the Sichuan CDM Project.
- Attendees of the Special Briefing at a light-hearted moment during the sharing session.
- The Q & A session after Panel Discussion has deepened guests’ understanding of the Sichuan CDM Project.
- CCA team with guests from Sichaun coming specially to Hong Kong for the Project Briefing.
- CCA Advisor Ir Albert Lai gave a debriefing on the UN Copenhagen Conference he attended in December 2009 and called for community action to help mitigate climate change.
- Ms Carole Klein, Director of Public Relations & Communications of the InterContinental Hong Kong, the event’s venue sponsor, with Mr Guo Hengxiao and CCA Director Rosanna Wong.
- Dr Trini Leung being interviewed by the crew from Phoenix TV’s “Current Affairs & Specials” section.
- Ir Dr Shelley Zhou, who acted as the MC for the Special Briefing, showed samples of the Good Climate Lai See, the world’s first carbon offset lai see for Chinese New Year created and produced by CCA.
