Selected Chinese government white paper on tibet ���x

����In 1963�� the Plateau delineated its first state nature reserve now the Baishuijiang State Nature Reserve��. The Regulations of the People's Re-public of China on Nature Reserves�� promulgated in 1994��-defined the ranking system�� the management structure and the function zones of na-ture reserves�� ushering in a period of rapid development of nature reserves on the Plateau. To date�� the Plateau has established in total 155 nature reserves at all levels ��41 state and 64 provincial ones���� covering a total area of 822��400 sq km. This is equivalent to 31.63 percent ofthe Plateau's landmass and represents 57.56 percent of China's land nature reserve ar-eas. Basically�� all of the Plateau's unique and fragile ecosystems and rare species can be found in these reserves.As China reforms its system for ecological progress�� the govern-ment has issued a directive to establish a system of protected natural areas�� with state parks as the main element. In 2016�� the state ratified the Plan for the Trial Run of the State Park at Sanjiangyuan ��literally��source of three large rivers���� the first pilot reform program to introduce state parks in China. The core aim is to make sure that the ecological resources of the Sanjiangyuan area�� where the headwaters of the Yangtze River�� Yellow River and Lancang River converge�� are owned by the state��shared by the people�� and passed down to future generations. The Regula-tions of Sanjiangyuan State Park ��Trial���� issued by Qinghai Province�� de-fines clear provisions on the parks' management in terms of background survey�� targets of protection�� ownership structure�� assets and liabilities��biodiversity preservation�� environmental monitoring�� cultural legacy pro-tection�� ecological compensation�� disaster prevention and reduction�� and inspection and quarantine. In January 2018�� the National Development and Reform Commission released the Overall Plan of Sanjiangyuan State Park�� which further clarified the principles of running the park�� its layout��functions�� and management targets. The park will serve as a role model to guide green development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in surrounding areas.An ecological compensation mechanism is in place.The ecological compensation mechanism is an important step taken by the state to protect the environment. In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau re-gion�� China has initiated a series of ecological compensation mechanisms��including transfer payments to key ecological function zones�� forest eco-logical benefit compensation�� grassland ecological protection subsidy and reward�� and wetland ecological benefit compensation. In 2008-2017�� the central government made transfer payments of RMB16.29 billion and RMB8.35 billion to the key ecological function zones in Qinghai and Tibet�� covering 77 key counties and all areas prohibited to development by the state.Since the lOth Five-year Plan period ��2001-2005���� Tibet Autonomous Region has received RMB31.6 billion in ecological compensation for its forests�� grasslands�� wetlands�� and key ecological function zones. Dur-ing the 12th Five-year Plan period ��2011-2015���� the state paid a total of RMB10.9 billion to Tibet in grassland conservation subsidy and rewards.Since 2015�� the autonomous region has been experimenting with a com-pensation program for damage caused by wildlife�� mitigating herdsmen's losses to a total amount of RMB85 million.Funds to encourage ecological progress in Qinghai Province have been increased. Since 2013�� the central government has allotted a total of RMB16.4 billion in ecological compensation for grasslands�� forests and wetlands in Qinghai. To integrate conservation and poverty reduction��Qinghai has initiated a public ranger program to monitor the environment��with an annual subsidy of RMB880 million. Since the 12th Five-year Plan period the state has helped 622��300 farming and herding households in Qinghai to obtain better housing�� provided clean drinking water to 1.6million people�� and ensured reliable power access to 650��000 people.This represents a considerable improvement of quality of life. In Deqen Prefecture of Yunnan Province�� an ecological compensation mechanism for public benefit forests has been in place since 2009�� receiving a total of RMB1.1 billion in state subsidies by 2017. ��������