IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v7y2018i2p52-d141653.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental Conservation in the Tibetan Plateau Region: Lessons for China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Mountains of Central Asia

Author

Listed:
  • J. Marc Foggin

    (Mountain Societies Research Institute, University of Central Asia, Bishkek 720001, Kyrgyzstan
    Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada)

Abstract

Environmental conservation has developed significantly in China over the past 20 years, including more collaborative approaches and recent advances in establishing a national parks system. This study reviews the development of protected areas in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, drawing lessons from experiences of community development and co-management approaches. Community engagement and participation in developing localized plans for natural resource utilization and conservation have been critical features of successful ventures. Government programs and policies, the emergence of grassroots civil society, and the development of herders’ cooperatives and protected areas, are all tracked, each pointing towards the significant value of inclusive biodiversity conservation approaches for meeting broadly agreed development agendas, such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Observations from the vast, high, arid, and semi-arid lands of the Tibetan Plateau are then considered in light of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which is bringing vast financial and technical resources to the world. Special attention is given to applying the lessons that have been learned in China to the mountains of Central Asia, globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and a water tower for large downstream populations. Keeping local people at the heart of conservation is deemed fundamentally important.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Marc Foggin, 2018. "Environmental Conservation in the Tibetan Plateau Region: Lessons for China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Mountains of Central Asia," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-34, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:7:y:2018:i:2:p:52-:d:141653
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/2/52/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/2/52/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Agrawal, Arun, 2001. "Common Property Institutions and Sustainable Governance of Resources," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1649-1672, October.
    2. Jerome Ballet & Kouamekan J-M. Koffi & K. Boniface Komena, 2009. "Co-Management of Natural Resources in Developing Countries: the Importance of Context," Economie Internationale, CEPII research center, issue 120, pages 53-76.
    3. Mengtian Cao & Li Peng & Shaoquan Liu, 2015. "Analysis of the Network of Protected Areas in China Based on a Geographic Perspective: Current Status, Issues and Integration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Saverio Kr&aauml;tli & Nikolaus Schareika, 2010. "Living Off Uncertainty: The Intelligent Animal Production of Dryland Pastoralists," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 22(5), pages 605-622, December.
    5. Wenwu Du & Sofia M. Penabaz-Wiley & Anthony Murithi Njeru & Isami Kinoshita, 2015. "Models and Approaches for Integrating Protected Areas with Their Surroundings: A Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-27, June.
    6. Karl Zimmerer, 2007. "Agriculture, livelihoods, and globalization: The analysis of new trajectories (and avoidance of just-so stories) of human-environment change and conservation," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 24(1), pages 9-16, March.
    7. Mancini, Maria Serena & Galli, Alessandro & Coscieme, Luca & Niccolucci, Valentina & Lin, David & Pulselli, Federico Maria & Bastianoni, Simone & Marchettini, Nadia, 2018. "Exploring ecosystem services assessment through Ecological Footprint accounting," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(PB), pages 228-235.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Xueqin & Wong, Yiik Diew & Yuen, Kum Fai & Li, Kevin X., 2020. "Environmental governance of transportation infrastructure under Belt and Road Initiative: A unified framework," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 189-199.
    2. Chunbo Huang & Yi Qin & Xixi Du & Jiawen He & Xin Fan, 2022. "Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Li, Shicheng & Zhang, Heng & Zhou, Xuewu & Yu, Haibin & Li, Wangjun, 2020. "Enhancing protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    4. Wajid Rashid & Jianbin Shi & Inam ur Rahim & Muhammad Qasim & Muhammad Naveed Baloch & Eve Bohnett & Fangyuan Yang & Imran Khan & Bilal Ahmad, 2021. "Modelling Potential Distribution of Snow Leopards in Pamir, Northern Pakistan: Implications for Human–Snow Leopard Conflicts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-14, November.
    5. Muhammad Muddassar Khan & Muhammad Siddique & Muhammad Yasir & Muhammad Imran Qureshi & Nohman Khan & Muhammad Zulqarnain Safdar, 2022. "The Significance of Digital Marketing in Shaping Ecotourism Behaviour through Destination Image," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, June.
    6. Xiang Feng & Qian Peng & Yunnan Chen & Weiyue Li, 2022. "A Case Study of the Snow Leopard in Sanjiangyuan National Park Boundaries regarding Park Boundary Divergence," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Yaxian Zhang & Jiangwen Fan & Suizi Wang, 2020. "Assessment of Ecological Carrying Capacity and Ecological Security in China’s Typical Eco-Engineering Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, May.
    8. Meng Li & Linsheng Zhong & Hu Yu & Jingwen Wang & Xin Zheng & Bin Zhang, 2024. "Assessment of the Synergistic Development Status of Nature-Based Tourism in the National Parks Agglomeration of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ntuli, Herbert & Muchapondwa, Edwin & Okumu, Boscow, 2020. "Can local communities afford full control over wildlife conservation? The case of Zimbabwe," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    2. Undargaa, Sandagsuren & McCarthy, John F., 2016. "Beyond Property: Co-Management and Pastoral Resource Access in Mongolia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 367-379.
    3. Haque, A.B.M. Mahfuzul & Visser, Leontine E. & Dey, Madan M., 2011. "Institutional Arrangements in Seasonal Floodplain Management under Community-based Aquaculture in Bangladesh," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Purnamita Dasgupta, 2007. "Common Property Resources as Development Drivers: A Study of Fruit Cooperative in Himachal Pradesh: India," Working Papers id:917, eSocialSciences.
    5. Joshi, P. K. & Pangare, V. & Shiferaw, B. & Wani, S. P. & Bouma, Jetske & Scott, Christopher, 2004. "Socioeconomic and policy research on watershed management in India: synthesis of past experiences and needs for future research," IWMI Research Reports H035345, International Water Management Institute.
    6. Hrabrin Ianouchev BACHEV, 2016. "A Holistic Approach for Assessing the System of Governance of Agrarian Sustainability," Journal of Economic and Social Thought, KSP Journals, vol. 3(3), pages 434-457, September.
    7. Maryati, Sri & Firman, Tommy & Humaira, An Nisaa Siti, 2022. "A sustainability assessment of decentralized water supply systems in Bandung City, Indonesia," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. Arts, Bas & de Koning, Jessica, 2017. "Community Forest Management: An Assessment and Explanation of its Performance Through QCA," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 315-325.
    9. Yung-Jaan Lee, 2022. "Hybrid Ecological Footprint of Taipei," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, April.
    10. Boscow Okumu & Edwin Muchapondwa, 2017. "Determinants of Successful Collective Management of Forest Resources: Evidence from Kenyan Community Forest Associations," Working Papers 698, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    11. Chervier, Colas & Le Velly, Gwenolé & Ezzine-de-Blas, Driss, 2019. "When the Implementation of Payments for Biodiversity Conservation Leads to Motivation Crowding-out: A Case Study From the Cardamoms Forests, Cambodia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 499-510.
    12. Meyer, Leandro Fredrico Ferraz & Braga, Marcelo Jose, 2009. "Fear or Greed? Duty or Solidarity? Motivations and Stages of Moral Reasoning: Experimental Evidences from Public-Goods Provision Dilemmas," Working Papers in Applied Economics 53249, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Departamento de Economia Rural.
    13. Dinesh Dhakal & David O’Brien & Peter Mueser, 2021. "Government Policy and Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives: A Case Study in Chitwan District, Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, November.
    14. Schultz, Bill, 2020. "Resource management and joint-planning in fragmented societies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    15. Sommerville, Matthew & Jones, Julia P.G. & Rahajaharison, Michael & Milner-Gulland, E.J., 2010. "The role of fairness and benefit distribution in community-based Payment for Environmental Services interventions: A case study from Menabe, Madagascar," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 1262-1271, April.
    16. Prakash Kashwan, 2016. "Integrating power in institutional analysis: A micro-foundation perspective," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 28(1), pages 5-26, January.
    17. Zabel, Astrid & Engel, Stefanie, 2010. "Performance payments: A new strategy to conserve large carnivores in the tropics?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 405-412, December.
    18. Stefani, Gianluca & Lombardi, Ginevra Virginia & Romano, Donato & Cei, Leonardo, 2017. "Grass Root Collective Action for Territorially Integrated Food Supply Chains: A Case Study from Tuscany," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 8(4), October.
    19. Yujun Sun & Khambay KHAMPHILAVONG, 2013. "People’s Participation in the Production Forest Management in the Middle Part of Lao," International Journal of Sciences, Office ijSciences, vol. 2(12), pages 22-29, December.
    20. Leone, Marinella, 2019. "Women as decision makers in community forest management: Evidence from Nepal," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 180-191.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:7:y:2018:i:2:p:52-:d:141653. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.