06 June 2006
China to build ‘ecological belt’ in Tibet
Xinhua) The Chinese government has announced plans to establish a series of "eco-system protection zones" and forest reserves in the TAR to curb environmental degradation in the region. The plan is part of China’s efforts to strengthen eco-security, said Zhang Tianhua, deputy director of the regional Environmental Protection Administration. Beijing is expected to allocate 38.7 billion Yuan (UK£2.6BN; US$4.84bn; EUR€3.8BN) to support the protection of the environment in Tibet between 2006 and 2020. The budget will also fund programmes like the recovery of degraded grasslands, desertification control and the settlement of herdsmen. The government’s strategy has yet to be announced.