Dharamshala: The Central Tibetan
Administration on Monday issued an official response to China’s White paper on
Tibet’s environment entitled ‘Central
Tibetan Administration’s Response to the People’s Republic of China’s White
Paper on Tibet’s Ecology, 2018′.
At a press conference held at
DIIR, Secretaries Sonam Norbu Dagpo and Tenzin Dhardon Sharling and Head of the
Environment desk of Tibet Policy Institute, Tempa Gyaltsen unveiled
the official document.
“Environmental concerns are
apolitical and universal in impact. The ecological health of the Tibetan
Plateau which also functions as the roof of the world is vital for the
well-being and sustainability of the entire world including China,” said
Secretary Sonam Norbu.
Head of the Environment research
desk of Tibet Policy Institute, Tempa Gyaltsen called out China on its failure
to mitigate the alarming climatic conditions in Tibet and for further
aggravating the environmental crises by increasing scale of resource extraction
and dam construction across Tibet.
While he welcomed China’s past
initiatives in environmental protection, including the introduction of the 2015
new Environment Protection Law, Researcher Tempa Gyaltsen said the recent
policies pursued by the Chinese leadership are not reflected in the ground
practices and implementation.
Further, he cited the increase in
the building of mega dams, expansion of resource extractions, and suppression
of peaceful environment-related protests as a sharp contradiction to the
environmental law of 2015. “Cases of such contradictions and insincerity are
numerous,” he said.
The 21-page official responsehttps://tibet.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000aaa.pdf covers
extensively on the impact of climate change on the Tibetan Plateau; Destructive
mining, breach of environmental norm; Irresponsible damming: Mega dams
destabilizing the fragile plateau and threatening millions of lives in
Asia; Forceful removal of Tibetan nomads; Rampant littering with
garbage treatment facilities provided only in cities; and Increasing
natural disasters in Tibet.
“Since their occupation of Tibet,
the Chinese authorities have imposed a destructive and irresponsible mode of
development that ignores the actual social, environmental and economic needs of
the Tibetan people. Their declaration of mining and tourism as pillar
industries across Tibet clearly contradicts the claim of following a
“sustainable path compatible with the harmonious co-existence of economy,
society and ecological environment,” the official response said.
In order to effectively tackle
the environmental issues in Tibet, CTA urged the Chinese government to put into
practice the following recommendations:
1. Chinese government must
respect and protect the rights of the Tibetan people’s cultural beliefs in the
sanctity of the sacred mountains, lakes and rivers of the Tibetan Plateau.
2. The Chinese government must
set firm, uncompromising and transparent license procedures for mining permits
in Tibet based on competitive and reliable Environmental Impact Assessments and
Social Impact Assessment reports.
3. The Chinese government must
also strictly monitor and prohibit mining companies from dumping hazardous mine
waste into the surrounding areas and rivers.
4. The Chinese government must
also promptly address the poorly planned resettlement programs of Tibetan
nomads. Having lost their traditional, self-reliant ways of life, the Chinese
Government must provide the newly-resettled nomads with jobs, education, healthcare
services and business opportunities to restore their dignity.
5. The Chinese government must
involve the local Tibetan population in decision-making processes for any major
development projects in Tibet.