China’s Environmental Activity in Tibetan Plateau Impacts Tibetan Rural Communities’ Rights
GHRTV Reporter
Giulia Benzi
Tibet & Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defense
In light of the approaching 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, and during the UN biodiversity summit, the Tibetan Centre of Human Rights and Democracy published a new report accusing China of being responsible for climate change in the Tibetan Plateau. The report blames China for using Tibetan lands to mitigate the country’s own carbon footprints and climate impact by falsely proclaiming vast watersheds to be national parks, therefore counterbalancing increasing carbon emissions. However, this has not resulted in eco-compensation for Tibetan rural communities who provide these ecosystem services. Instead, they are forcibly dislocated and removed from their lands. China’s controversial approach to eco-compensation is therefore casting human rights and development doubts. The country’s attempt to repair its environmental reputation at the cost of rural Tibetan landholders is therefore “a concern for the world”, as stated in the report. One of the questions that will have to be addressed at the COP26 in Glasgow regards China’s controversial use of the Tibetan Plateau and eco-payments. The world must address China’s declarations against its real activities in the Tibetan lands.
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