Variety safeguards

China has signaled that it will intensify its biodiversity protection efforts over the coming five years

China's vigorous ecological policies, formulated for years have provided a solid guarantee for the country's protection of biodiversity. Now comes the new, crucial phase of development to balance quantitative with qualitative advantages — measurable and verifiable ecosystem health, functional integrity, and species recovery results — and to focus on the strategy, priority and governance modernization spelled out at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, biodiversity has been one of the priorities of China's development blueprint. The plan's emphasis on building an "ecological civilization" integrates species protection, ecosystem restoration and sustainable development across sectors.

Among the most important steps taken during the past five years were the publication of the White Paper on Biodiversity Conservation in China, the gradual establishment of a comprehensive national park system and the formal delineation of ecological red-line areas, which cover a substantial share of the country's territory. Also, more than 30 environmental laws and regulations have been promulgated or amended, thus achieving reinforced regulation and building an institutional foundation for biodiversity governance and environmental protection at various levels.

Importantly, the recently concluded fourth plenary session emphasized high-quality development, people's well-being, innovation, ecological security shields and green development. This signals the expectation that biodiversity protection must now be situated within the broader push for a modernized, high-quality socioeconomic system in China.

Scientific evidence and research show substantial, significant expansion and systematic optimization of protected areas and conservation zones throughout this critical period. The newly designated and established national park system now effectively connects key habitats and essential ecosystems for iconic and endangered species including the giant panda, Amur tiger, Asian elephant and snow leopard, helping mitigate habitat fragmentation and ecological disconnection across multiple provinces and regional boundaries.

Scientific studies and field investigations confirm that ecological connectivity — the establishment and maintenance of corridors connecting mountains, forests, wetlands and river basins — has substantially improved both habitat quality and species resilience across diverse landscapes. However, while protected land exceeded 18 percent of the nation's land areas by the end of 2021, experts increasingly emphasize that future success must be evaluated primarily by tangible biodiversity outcomes — including measurable species recovery rates, the preservation and enhancement of genetic diversity within populations, and the overall functionality and health of ecosystems — rather than merely by the total acreage or geographical extent of protected areas alone.

The government's commitment to dual carbon targets — peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 — has spurred integrated nature-based solutions. Restoration projects in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, for instance, combine carbon sequestration, water regulation and species richness. Provinces such as Yunnan, Hainan and Zhejiang have launched "ecological civilization pilot zones" linking biodiversity management with tourism, carbon trading and sustainable agriculture. At the same time, biodiversity finance is gaining momentum. Several provinces are testing eco-compensation and biodiversity-credit schemes, aligning local conservation with green-finance mechanisms.

With the 20th CPC Central Committee having approved the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) at the fourth plenary session, biodiversity conservation must now be fully embedded within that planning horizon — advancing from frameworks to outcome-oriented integration with national development.

The public advocacy for the environment has never been larger or more thriving than it is now. Natural science curricula, volunteer programs and comprehensive school biology education have been widely growing and prevalent across both urban and rural areas. Such grassroots campaigns and local movements are cultivating and solidifying the general public opinion and social consensus that protection of nature and biodiversity is not just the duty of the government but the shared responsibility and social commitment of everyone in society.

The challenges and priorities for the next five years are: First, China should focus on quality, not only coverage. The next five-year plan should include measurable biodiversity indicators — population trends, ecological connectivity and ecosystem health — to ensure tangible outcomes, aligning with the plenary session's call for people-centered, high-quality development.

Second, biodiversity must be integrated into land-use, industrial policy and high-quality development. Infrastructure, agriculture and urban-expansion projects must undergo biodiversity-risk screening, and adopt "no-net-loss" and ecological compensation principles. As the Central Committee emphasized modernizing the industrial system and promoting innovation, biodiversity must be integrated into these pathways.

Third, ecological restoration and network connectivity should be accelerated. Large-scale, science-based restoration is needed in degraded grasslands, wetlands and river systems, with strong monitoring and community participation.

Fourth, China must expand marine and freshwater conservation. Coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems face critical threats. The next planning cycle must explicitly elevate marine and freshwater biodiversity to the same status as terrestrial systems.

Fifth, biodiversity finance and market mechanisms must be mobilized. Green bonds, biodiversity funds and payment for ecosystem services programs should be integrated, and biodiversity credits should be internalized into environmental, social and governance criteria.

Last but not least, data infrastructure and monitoring should be strengthened, and adaptive governance and transparency should be enhanced. Reporting via national biodiversity monitoring platforms should be made through the real-time integration of remote sensing, artificial intelligence and local citizen data, enabling the real-time revision of policy. Greater transparency and participation support the plenary's call to innovate and modernize governance and people-centered development.

Given the national policy, legislation and institutional foundation of biodiversity conservation being well-established at different levels of governance, China has a great chance to lead implementation through scientific monitoring, continuous resource mobilization and further international collaboration to realize notable conservation achievements.

By expanding and innovating its green finance mechanisms and deepening community engagement initiatives, China can not only achieve its own ecological security and biodiversity conservation goals, but also play a pivotal role in setting both the national and international biodiversity agenda, thereby turning high-level commitments into concrete, measurable reality for the benefit of both people and planet.

The next five years will mark a fundamental and strategic shift from a focus on quantitative metrics to an emphasis on qualitative outcomes — moving beyond the simple expansion of broad geographical coverage to achieving measurable, scientifically verifiable ecological recovery and the restoration of ecosystem health.

The author is a professor of ecology at the Beijing Normal University. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.