China Daily: The government of the Tibet autonomous region plans to invest more than 3.5 billion yuan ($563 million) in 2013, 10.5 percent more than last year, in environmental protection.
Potala Palace, Lhasa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to the draft budget of 2013, which the regional finance department submitted for the legislature’s approval on Thursday, the investment will also support the building of an ecological safety screen on the plateau.
More than 3.23 billion yuan will be used for major forestation projects and for compensating and rewarding locals who protect and grow grass and forests and conserve wetlands, lakes and water resources.
More than 50 million yuan will be allocated to support environmental improvement projects and preserve resources, according to the draft budget.
According to the autonomous region’s environmental protection department, the plateau’s fragile and sensitive environment faces a worsening situation of land desertification, soil erosion and threats to deteriorating biodiversity.
New challenges are emerging from increasing urban pollution related to tourism, traffic and mining.
However, environmental protection has also received “unprecedented” attention over the past five years, the department said.
The State Council, China’s cabinet, listed the protection and building of a safety screen of environment in Tibet as a State-level major eco-project in February 2009.
The project aims to pour in 15.5 billion yuan to basically finish building the screen by 2030.”
via Tibet to invest $563m to protect environment |Society |chinadaily.com.cn.
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