Why is Kunming chosen to host COP15?

From October 11 to 24 this year, China is scheduled to host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Kunming once again becomes the focus of China, and even the world.

In December 2016, COP13 held in Cancun, Mexico announced that China won the right to host COP15. On February 13, 2019, with 4 cities of Beijing, Haikou, Kunming, Chengdu running for the host city, the venue of the meeting finally has been designated as Kunming City, Yunnan Province.

“The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in the Chinese city of Kunming in May next year. I want to welcome you to Kunming, the beautiful "Spring City", to discuss and draw up plans together for protecting global biodiversity. “stated by President Xi Jinping at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity on 30 September 2020.

"COP15 is held in China, which is a recognition of China's biodiversity protection achievements. The host city of Kunming won because of biodiversity, climatic conditions and air quality." said Yunnan Preparatory Work Leading Group Office.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio "Earth Summit") ,aiming to protect the earth’s biological resources. And then it entered into force on 29 December 1993. There are currently 196 Parties.

China is one of the first countries that signed and approve the Convention on Biological Diversity. "China attaches great importance to biodiversity protection, specializing in China's Biodiversity Protection State Committee, coordinating national biodiversity protection work, by the deputy prime minister of the administration.” said the office.

On February 13, 2019, the Conference of China's Biodiversity Protection State Committee was hosted. The meeting listened to the four cities' investigation reports. Comprehensive considerations were taken into by biodiversity, climate and environmental air quality. In the end, Committee determined Kunming as the host city and the venue is Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Yunnan is the only "biodiversity oasis" on the Tropic of Cancer. Yunnan still contains China’s greatest diversity of flora and fauna. There are 313 species of animals, which makes up 16.1% in the world. Eighty of the country’s endangered animals are found in Yunnan including Asian elephant, tiger and Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.

Given the Province's large size (making up 4.1% of China) and wide range of elevations, natural vegetation types range from tropical rainforests in the south to glacial deserts in the northwest. Yunnan Province has very high biodiversity. Faunal richness is the highest of all China's provinces. Endemism is also high.

With protection efforts for many years, the number of Asian elephants increased from 150 to about 300, and the number of golden monkeys from 1400 increased to 2,600. The western black crown gibbon, black-necked cranes and other rare and endangered wildlife populations showed a stable growth trend.

Reporting by Duan Yi and Wang Dan (Yunnan Net); Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi