Lin Zhen: Compare the Performance of Projects of Carbon Sequestration in China: Guangxi and Beijing

Forestry carbon sequestration measures in reducing the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide have become an internationally recognized effective way to mitigate climate warming. Achieving the absorption and fix of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through carbon sequestration, not only has indirectly effect of emission reduction, but also be of low operation cost, effective and easy to be implemented, which is the most economical , practical, effective measure in response to climate warming. Forestry carbon sequestration refers to the process, activity or mechanism combined with carbon sequestration trading in accordance with the relevant rules, to be specific, is absorbing and fixing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by using forest carbon storage function, which through afforestation, strengthening forest management, reducing deforestation, protection and restoration of forest vegetation and other activities.

The "Reforestation project in Pearl River Basin, Guangxi, China" applied in 2003 and formally implemented in 2006, is the world's first carbon sequestration project under the rules of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) set forth in "Kyoto Protocol". The project mainly governance the land degradation and soil erosion in Pearl River Basin, through the promotion of reforestation activities, exploration and demonstration of the carbon sequestration related technologies and methods in that region. 770,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be fixed after the implementation of the project until 2035. According to the purchase agreement, the World Bank Bio-Carbon Fund will purchase $22O million carbon sequestration from that project.

As in the capital of China, for the construction of "Green Olympics" and "Green Beijing", Beijing's first two carbon sequestration projects were officially started in April 4, 2008. One is invested RMB 3,000,000 by China National Petroleum Corporation, to create a 6,000 acres carbon sequestration forest in Fangshan District, with a 20-year-implementation period. The other is carbon sequestration afforestation project in Beijing Badaling forest farm, whose funds come from the first carbon sequestration funds purchased by individual for carrying out the project and supported by China Green Carbon Fund, which is the first carbon sequestration afforestation project carried out by civil public donations. The two projects are meaningful to improve Beijing's ecological environment, enhance public awareness of ecological civilization and the awareness of sustainable development, further promoting the popularity of carbon offsetting and forestry carbon sequestration and other related knowledge, giving full play of forests in water conservation, climate change and environmental education and so on.

The target-area of "Guangxi project" is relatively poor and backward rural area, as the first pilot unit, the Government provided more preferential policies, which have achieved some success. However, bound by the rules of international agreements and non-standard factors in policy implementation process, the sustainable development of the project faced with many problems, such as policy inflexible, being short of capital and technology and lack of public participation, ect.

The "Beijing project" is implemented in the metropolitan suburbs, therefore, has adequate financial and technical guarantee, as well as better public participation. The main problem is that the government should step up efforts to promote and introduce complementary policies, so that more people can be involved in and benefit from it, for example, to explore the combination of carbon sequestration and car consumption.

By comparing these two carbon sequestration projects in the above regions, different experiences of the implementation of carbon sequestration projects in China's rural and urban areas can be summarized for providing a basis for the improvement of China's carbon sequestration policy.