:: Products from communities living around the Minshan panda nature reserves at Carrefour

Sept 30, 2006
Chengdu, Sichuan province, China – You might be wondering why these old traditional honeybee boxes with the honeybee nest inside are displaying in this Chengdu Carrefour store. You're not the only one: since September 5th, numerous customers are being explained that they can buy traditionally made and natural honey as well as Sichuan pepper coming respectively from communities living around Wanglang in Pingwu county and Baihe Nature Reserves in Jiuzhaigou county.
The honeybee boxes are being used on a special display prepared by Carrefour and WWF, with the help of the Wanglang Nature Reserve. It is really attractive, and curious Carrefour customers are spontaneously asking questions about it: "What is this? Where is it coming from? How is it used?"
Volunteers from environmental student associations in various Chengdu universities are there to answer their questions, and explain WWF project to promote sustainable livelihoods for communities living in and around the panda habitat of the Minshan mountain range in Sichuan province.
'When consumers buy these products, they help people [in these communities] to make a living that is environmentally friendly, thereby contributing to the protection of forests and wildlife including pandas. We hope that through WWF’s partnership with Carrefour, we can create market demand and a stable marketing channel for these products, and ultimately improve the standard of living of these communities,' said Ding Jing, WWF China’s Corporate Partnership Manager.
The Minshan mountain range in Sichuan and Gansu is a particularly outstanding landscape for unique and endangered wildlife, with the largest population of giant panda. It is also home to Tibetan, Qiang, Baima and Han populations who, like pandas and other wildlife, depend on natural resources to earn a living. Their traditional livelihoods include logging, hunting, and the collection of traditional Chinese medicine. However, these activities form a big threat to the survival of pandas and other wildlife in the region.
The communities and their products
The Baima Tibetan communities living around Wanglang Nature Reserve are making two kinds of honey. The "white honey" comes from high-altitude wildflowers above 2000m. The "yellow honey" is made at the approximate altitude of 1500m.
The other product for sale is the Sichuan Pepper from Baihe Nature Reserve, located just next to the famous Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve. This very specific pepper, very popular and largely used in the sichuan food is of very good quality.
"[Farmers selling to Carrefour] will have an annual income increase by about 5%-8%" said Liu Yuping, director of the Taiping protection station of Baihe nature reserve and in charge of the WWF-Carrefour project at this level.
Nowadays, city customers have high requirements for their daily food such as being able to choose Green food. Green food certification is the next step in this WWF community project: these 2 products are currently being applied for green food.
The Volunteers
Thanks to enthusiastic students who wants to get involve in volunteer actions, and organized in several associations in Chengdu universities, it is possible to communicate the project ideas to Carrefour customers. The students associations [zh] have been coordinated to work together. They have received a specific training to be able to answers costumers questions.
"There are many volunteers who are interested in this action. They feel concerned by nature protection and they want to actively take part in it," said Deng Lemiao, a student of Sichuan University in charge of managing the volunteers actions. He added: "It's a hard job to talk about environmental protection to customers, but it is nice to see that many people feel concerned and interested!"
Carrefour involvement
‘Carrefour got involved in this project with the idea that we wanted to focus on what we do best, which is selling products. We felt that this is a lasting way to help local communities, as opposed to just giving them money. Teaching people how to enter their products into the market allows local communities to make money – and this is the best way to convince people living in the Minshan panda habitat to make a sustainable living,’ said Antoine Bloch in 2004, when he was Carrefour China’s National Hygiene and Quality Manager. Carrefour China has been a member of WWF China’s Corporate Alliance since 2002.
Lu Xidong, Responsible of the Fresh-Food division in the Great World Store of Chengdu added (in 2006): "Sells are good. The display is looking great and we are happy that the volunteers can explain the real aspects of these great natural products coming from communities living around the Nature Reserves."
Conclusion
Chengdu Great World Store was the 1st store that started the operation. Now it has spread to the other stores that did the operation last year (i.e. 3 other Chengdu stores, and 4 stores in Chongqing), and will soon be in newly participating stores in Beijing and Shanghai. Some stores (particularly the one in Shanghai and Beijing) are only selling Sichuan Pepper. This year the sale of the honey is particularly succesful with the improved packaging compare to last two fairs and until now several Chengdu stores have made the second order. The estimation of the production's value bought by Carrefour is 140 000 RMB which profit the targeted communities.
"What's this?" ask the customer attracted by this strange object on the display. "This is a traditional honeybee box" answers the volunteer who immediately take the opportunity to say more: "It is used by the Baima Zang community living around Wanglang nature reserve. They use it for beekeeping, and make natural honey... It's made from a tree trunk cut in half, and emptied to become a honeybee box, and to later get the honey from it. You can buy the result of this process right here, thanks to a project aiming at promoting sustainable livelihoods for communities living in the panda habitat..."

Press Release by Philippe Semanaz, French volunteer/Engref student in Chengdu WWF office

For further information: Li Ye, Coordinator
WWF China Chengdu Field Office
Tel: +86 28 68003625
E-mail: yli@wwfchina.org

Prss release on WWF China website: http://www.wwfchina.org/english/loca.php?loca=405
WWF's alternative livelihoods flourish in Minshan

WWF Lures Companies Into Responsible Forest Management

allAfrica.com: Cameroon: WWF Lures Companies Into Responsible Forest Management: "In a statement, the Regional Representative of WWF for Central Africa, Laurent Somé, expressed conviction that 'the adoption of sustainable forest management schemes by the three companies will contribute greatly to the conservation of the Congo Basin forests for the benefit of the people as well as wildlife.'"

first found this article in my RSS feed (i'm watching news about WWF with GoogleNews) on AND (African News Dimension) but the article was only viewable by paying subscribers. I then found what i think is the same article in several other websites. (allAfrica.com)
I thought the article was negative about WWF action. but i guess my understanding of the word "lures" was wrong.

Les cochons de Iao Fuhuang

Le Web de l’Humanité: Les cochons de Iao Fuhuang - Article paru le 26 juin 2006: "Enquête
Les cochons de Iao Fuhuang

La success story d’un éleveur du Sichuan et les questions sur d’éventuelles importations en Europe.

Envoyé spécial.

Avant 1993, Iao Fuhuang - gagnait sa vie en réparant des montres et en vendant des herbes médicinales. Cette année-là, il se lance dans l’élevage et l’abattage des porcs. Aujourd’hui, ce Chinois de Pujiang, dans le Sichuan, est à la tête d’un élevage de 200 truies gestantes dont les aliments composés sont partiellement importés. Son établissement abat et conditionne 300 000 porcs par an. Ses fournisseurs sont des éleveurs spécialisés dont le plus petit livre annuellement 200 cochons. Les animaux sont vendus au poids vif, à un tarif moyen de 5,80 yuans le kilo, soit environ 60 centimes d’euro. L’abattoir emploie 500 personnes qui ne travaillent que de nuit. Ce sont souvent des éleveurs en contrat avec l’abattoir, des doubles actifs au salaire mensuel de 150 euros.

Le travail de nuit a été motivé par les bas prix de l’énergie électrique par rapport au tarif de jour. Selon les rares propos de Iao Fuhuang, le gouvernement aide les entrepreneurs comme lui à se lancer avec des politiques de prêts bonifiés, voire de prêts non remboursables. L’abattoir vend un peu de viande fraîche aux détaillants locaux et beaucoup de pièces congelées dans les grandes villes de la province du Sichuan. Du coup, le poste énergie se révèle ici le plus coûteux en raison des quantités de viandes en stock maintenues à moins 35 degrés.

Au fil de la conversation avec les journalistes français, Iao Fuhuang a indiqué qu’il exportait déjà de la viande de porc en Russie, au Japon et en Corée, son ambition étant de se positionner sur le marché de l’Union européenne pour certains morceaux nobles. C’est sans doute de bonne guerre dans le cadre de la mondialisation libérale. Les porcs chinois sont plus gras que les nôtres pour des raisons génétiques et leur régime alimentaire déséquilibré avec trop de féculents et pas assez de protéines végétales, largement utilisées dans l’alimentation humaine en Chine. Des rôtis et des côtelettes de moindre qualité produits en Chine peuvent donc coûter moins cher à nos spécialistes de la restauration collective en - recherche d’économies sur la matière première.

Mais importer du cochon chinois en France et en Europe soulève une question relative aux émissions de CO2. Avant d’engraisser les - cochons abattus chez Iao Fuhuang, il faut transporter sur de longues distances des milliers de tonnes d’aliments sur des camions pollueurs. Une fois les porcs abattus, l’électricité produite à partir du charbon alimente la chaîne du froid en magasin. Puis la viande circule dans les - camions frigorifiques jusqu’au port le plus proche, puis sur le bateau congélateur avant que des camions frigorifiques émetteurs de CO2 prennent la relève entre un port européen et la destination finale de chaque livraison. À supposer qu’à l’arrivée le prix de revient de cette viande soit encore moins élevé que celle d’un élevage français, peut-on fermer les yeux sur les conséquences écologiques d’un si long voyage dont la seule justification serait l’économie de quelques centimes d’euros par kilo de rôti ? L’OMC ferme les yeux sur cet aspect. Ce qui prouve que l’OMC n’est pas un outil pertinent pour la régulation du commerce agricole et alimentaire. G. L. P."

geo:(30.2021137,103.5076904)
tag: geotagged
Check this out on mylocalguru

WWF - Giant panda rescued in north-central China

WWF - Giant panda rescued in north-central China: " 03 Jul 2006
Beijing, China – An injured panda has been rescued in a forest valley in the north-central Chinese province of Shaanxi, where traces of the endangered species had not been previously observed.

The panda was found near a river about four kilometres outside the Houzhenzi Panda Corridor Zone by a group of tourists after it had injured itself in a fall from the mountain. After being informed by a tour guide, staff from the Heihe forest park rescued the female panda with a rope sling and then hurried her to the Louguantai wild animal rescue centre. Later assessment by the centre’s staff showed that the panda suffered no series injuries.

“The accidental discovery has signalled that giant pandas are able to move into new areas in addition to the panda corridor zone where their distribution was previously perceived to be limited to,” commented Liu Xiaohai, Head of WWF China's programme office in Xi’an.

"This is testimony to the fact that under joint conservation efforts by WWF and our local partners, the areas suitable for giant panda habitation have expanded.”

Since 2002, WWF China has been working in the Heihe forest park to help establish a wildlife patrol team. So far six ranger stations have been built in the park, which is located within WWF’s South Taibaishan project region in the Qinling Mountains.

The impacts of tourism and local communities on the wildlife habitat have been reduced thanks to WWF’s efforts to help improve tourism management in the park and providing local communities with alternative livelihoods without impacting on the panda's forest habitat.

“The fact that this giant panda was found outside the corridor zone is inspiring news for panda conservation as a whole,” said Dermot O’Gorman, WWF China's country representative.

“To ensure this trend continues, more efforts and measures are needed for conservation work in this area.”

For further information:
Tan Rui, Communications Officer
WWF China
Tel: +86 10 6522 7100
E-mail: rtan@wwfchina.org"

China Environmental News Digest: More Pandas in China Than First Thought [Anonymoused]

China Environmental News Digest: More Pandas in China Than First Thought [Anonymoused]:
"Thursday, June 22, 2006

More Pandas in China Than First Thought

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

The Associated Press Via Washingtonpst
Wednesday, June 21, 2006; 6:18 PM

SHANGHAI, China -- Scientists using DNA samples have doubled their estimates of the wild panda population in a nature sanctuary in China, a finding they say bodes well for the survival of the endangered species.

The researchers believe between 66 and 72 pandas are living in the Wanglang Nature Reserve _ more than twice the previous estimate of 32, said Wei Fumin, a zoologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The scientists arrived at the estimates by taking samples of panda droppings in the reserve and developing genetic profiles, said Wei, who was a member of the research team.

The rising numbers are likely the result of natural population growth, migration from other areas and a logging ban aimed at preserving panda habitat, he said Wednesday.

"We're really seeing these policies start to have an effect," Wei said.

Results of the research, conducted by a joint British-Chinese team, were published in Tuesday's edition of the journal Current Biology.

Despite the rising numbers in Wanglang, Wei said it was too early to say whether similar studies in other preserves would show a higher overall number for China's wild panda population, now estimated at about 1,600.

"There could be other factors at work in different places," he said.

The Worldwide Fund for Nature, which uses a panda in its logo, said the findings were "a positive sign."

"We are thrilled by this new study," said Olivier van Bogaert, spokesman for the Switzerland-based group, known as the World Wildlife Fund in the United States.

He urged continued vigilance. "There are still very low numbers of pandas in the wild. Even if this study might prove that there are more than we thought, the number of pandas is still very low. All the measures that are being taken to protect their habitat need to be enforced and implemented further. Deforestation and habitat loss are still issues that we need to tackle."

Study author Michael Bruford, of Cardiff University in Wales, said the environment at Wanglang wasn't significantly different from China's 40 other panda sanctuaries, indicating there could be many more pandas than previously believed.

And while conservation programs were clearly working, the degree of genetic diversity uncovered at Wanglang seems to indicate panda numbers never fell as low as had been thought, Bruford said.

The researchers said they don't expect their findings to dampen China's enthusiasm for assisted breeding, which has proven effective in boosting the numbers of captive pandas.

Bruford said the field work, carried out by graduate student Zhan Xiangjiang, was arduous, not only due to the mountainous terrain but also because of the need to obtain fresh samples for DNA analysis.

"Once panda feces change from green to brown, we know we've had it," he said.

A separate Chinese team developed the DNA testing method, testifying to Chinese scientists' rising prominence in the field of genetics.

Wei said the new methodology also sheds light on little-known aspects of panda life, such as their family ties, geographic dispersal, age distribution and mating and migration habits.

Samples taken at Wanglang showed considerable genetic diversity, implying robust numbers of pandas and considerable migration in and out of the 123-square-mile preserve in the mountains of Sichuan province in southwestern China.

"Pandas are very hard to study and there's a lot to be known other than just their population," he said.

Further research using DNA sampling is to be carried out this year in another key panda preserve, in Foping in Shaanxi province to the east of Wanglang, Wei said."

WWF - More panda protection in China

WWF - More panda protection in China: "China’s State Forestry Administration and the Shaanxi provincial government have committed to protecting a giant panda population in the rugged Qinling Mountains in central China."

GreenPeace

The best of the blogs from the Paradise Forests: "Papua New Guinea — The Paradise Forests weblog features contributions from international volunteers at the Global Forest Rescue Station in Lake Murray, a remote area in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Our campaigners and activists on board our flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, also sent through blogs, as they sailed around the region on 'Forest Crime Patrol'."
"PNG landowner Brian Barring contributed blogs as he travelled through Europe and the UK, spreading the word about the situation in his homeland. The UK and EU countries are also big consumers of illegally logged timber products."
The weblog brings the fight to save the Paradise Forests to life. It draws us in to the Lake Murray community. We share the commitment of the volunteers and the joy of the landowners as their shared dream – to establish sustainable, small-scale, eco-forestry projects – became a reality. "

Chine - Environnement

Libération : La Chine se détruit à force de trop croître: "«La tendance d'une dégradation croissante de l'environnement n'a pas été contrôlée efficacement», estime un Livre blanc sur la protection de l'environnement (1996-2005) publié hier par Pékin."

c'est pour répéter ce que disent depuis des années les ONG comme le Fonds mondial pour la nature (WWF). Peng Lei, le responsable Chine du WWF, expliquait le mois dernier que «la Chine, pays en développement, poursuit un modèle de développement qui n'est pas tenable». Pékin «sacrifie son environnement», accusait-il.

WWF - Funds running dry on World Environment Day

WWF - Funds running dry on World Environment Day: "Sadly, each year this day comes and goes without much fanfare, leaving the state of the world’s environment ever more precarious. But this year, World Environment Day may in fact mark a retreat from international funding for conservation.

Today, the planet is facing an unprecedented increase in global temperatures. The rate of deforestation continues at a rapid pace. Threats to species are at an all time high. Ocean fisheries are being pushed to their limits. And deserts and the process of desertification — the theme of this year’s World Environment Day — is worsening."

Sustainable logging failing to save forests - News

New Scientist Premium- Sustainable logging failing to save forests - News: "Twenty years of international pledges and environmental campaigning have barely improved the state of the world's tropical forests, according to the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of how forests are being managed.

The embarrassing admission comes from the International Tropical Timber Organization, the Japan-based agency set up in 1986 by the producers and consumers of tropical timber to promote 'sustainable' forestry. Its members include governments in charge of four-fifths of the world's tropical forests. After 20 years of activity, however, the ITTO concedes that only 3 per cent of tropical forests meet its own standards of good management."

content of the full article is not free

Le barrage qui réveille la forêt

Libération : Le barrage qui réveille la forêt:
Brésil

Fin mars, 200 chefs de l'ethnie kayapo unissent leurs forces pour protester contre la construction d'un barrage hydroélectrique, dans l'Amazonie brésilienne. Récit de cinq jours aux côtés des guerriers indiens.

par Eliane PATRIARCA
mercredi 31 mai 2006

Piaraçu, Amazonie brésilienne envoyée spéciale

"Soudain, ils sont là. Fiers, couverts de peintures noires jusqu'aux mollets, torses nus, tongs et bermudas, bracelets et colliers de perles. En un instant, après la longue route depuis Cuiabá, la capitale de l'Etat du Mato Grosso, puis la traversée en bac du fleuve Xingu, nous basculons dans un autre monde : celui des Indiens Kayapos. Nous sommes samedi 25 mars. Demain, les 200 chefs de cette ethnie seront rassemblés dans le village de Piaraçu pour contrer le projet de barrage de Belo Monte, sur le fleuve Xingu, dans l'Etat du Pará. Cet affluent de l'Amazone est inséparable de l'existence des 7 000 Kayapos qui vivent sur ses berges. Pour eux, le barrage est synonyme d'inondation des terres, de déplacement des familles, de déforestation et de pollution du fleuve. Une fois déjà, les Kayapos ont fait échouer le projet. C'était en 1989. Durant cinq jours, 600 d'entre eux et des membres de 40 autres ethnies avaient manifesté dans la ville d'Altamira contre la construction du complexe hydroélectrique. Cinq barrages en fait, qui allaient inonder 18 000 hectares de forêt et chasser des milliers d'Indiens. Sous la pression internationale, le gouvernement brésilien et la compagnie nationale Eletronorte avaient cédé. Mais, depuis 2001, le projet de barrage est de nouveau"

Natural reserves of Minshan and other conservation areas

BaiHe 百河
JiuZhaiGou 九寨沟
Wujiao 勿角
BaiYang 白羊
HuangLong 黄龙
XiaoZhaiZiGou 小寨子沟
Piankou 片口
QianFoShan 千佛山
WangLang 王朗
XiaoHeGou 小河沟
TangJiaHe 唐家河
MaoZhai 毛寨
DongYangGou 东阳沟
XueBaoDing 雪宝顶
BaiShuiJiang 白水江

BaoZuo 包座
Axia 阿夏
DuoEr 多儿
ChaGangLiang 插岗梁
JiuDingShan 九顶山
BaiShuiHe 白水河
LongXiHongKou 龙溪虹口
BaoDingGou 宝顶沟

Forest Farm:
NanPing ff 南坪
KuanBa ff 宽坝
PingWu ff 平武


About one aspect of the project going on there:
WWF - Panda Forests of Minshan - Nature Reserve Management and Capacity Building
A lots more there about Minshan Initiative (Integrated Project):
WWF China - Minshan Initiative

Interfax China

Interfax China: "'The local government showed a terrible attitude towards the UN investigations,' Wang said.

She said that during the delegation's visit to the Nu River Prefecture, situated on Yunnan's Tibetan border, local government workers had been employed to cover construction sites with cloth and conceal ships used for engineering."

Chine : construction d'une centaine de centrales hydrauliques sur le cours supérieur du Yangtsé

Chine : construction d'une centaine de centrales hydrauliques sur le cours supérieur du Yangtsé: "D'ici 20 ans, la Chine projette de construire une centaine de centrales hydrauliques sur les rivières de Minjiang, Wujiang, Yalongjiang, Jialingjiang, affluents principaux et secondaires situés sur le cours supérieur du Yangtsé.

Les ressources hydrauliques sont très riches sur la rivière de Jinshajiang située sur le cours supérieur du Yangtsé, soit le sixième de celles du pays. La Chine va construire la plus grande base d'électricité hydraulique sur cette rivière.

D'après un plan élaboré, quatre centrales hydrauliques seront construites sur les sections du cours inférieur de cette rivière. La puissance installée des générateurs de ces quatre centrales sera de 38 millions de kW, soit deux barrages des Trois Gorges.

Par ailleurs, huit autres centrales hydrauliques seront construites sur les cours moyen et inférieur de la rivière de Jinshajiang avec une puissance installée de générateurs de 20,58 millions de kW.

La Chine a déjà construit 12 bases hydrauliques dans les régions de l'ouest du pays."

WWF China - organic food

new story about organic food and Minshan initiative on the wwf china website:
WWF China: "WWF is working with local communities in the Minshan panda habitat to promote a certification system for organic farming in the region. Representatives from the Sichuan Green Food Development Center recently visited communities neighboring Wanglang, Baihe and Baodinggou panda nature reserves in Minshan to promote organic and green food certification. The aim is to certify honey, black peppercorn, walnuts, berries and vegetables such as green peppers, tomatos, cabbage and carrots as green food in the near future."

WWF - Reuniting panda populations in China

WWF - Reuniting panda populations in China: "WWF's China Programme and the Chinese Forestry Department of Shaanxi Province has launched a programme to build up an ecological corridor to reunite two isolated panda populations.

A bamboo forest will be restored with the help of WWF volunteers to create a green corridor for giant panda sub-populations that were fragmented by a national highway."

People's Daily Online -- Bamboo tunnel to help panda groups reunite

People's Daily Online -- Bamboo tunnel to help panda groups reunite: "In 2005, WWF made a socio-economic survey and worked out the threats to giant pandas in the area. In September 2005, the international conservation organization co-operated with the nature reserve to begin restoring the giant panda habitat in the area. The project began yesterday is part of the effort.

'The project is an active and valuable attempt by WWF and our partners to connect the fragmented habitats in the Qinling Mountains,' said Dermot O'Gorman, representative of the WWF China Programme.

'We hope the green bamboo corridor can connect the panda populations separated by the highway, free the animal from human and traffic disturbance, and bring new hope to the conservation of wild giant pandas in Qinling.'"

WWF - TNC - WWF Alliance

WWF - TNC - WWF Alliance Newsletter, No. 6, March 2006: "TNC-WWF ALLIANCE@News is an electronic newsletter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Alliance to promote forest certification and combat illegal logging in Indonesia."

Green packaging

China Environmental News Digest: "Green packaging" demand to help environment: "China is working to develop 'green packaging' as part of its efforts to build an environment-friendly society, Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said yesterday.

He made the remarks when referring to the vast growth of packaging waste in the world at the World Packaging Conference, which opened in Beijing yesterday.

'The large increase of packaging waste has become a worldwide problem that deserves great attention,' Zeng said.

China's packaging industry attaches great importance to environmental protection and resource conservation, he added.

Zeng called for additional efforts to be made to promote green packaging by developing technologies of recycling waste or using degradable materials.

The packaging sector has witnessed robust growth in China. According to statistics from the China Packaging Federation, the total output of the nation's packaging industry reached US$50 billion last year, with a year-on-year growth of more than 20 per cent.

'A challenge for the Chinese packaging innovators is the creation of efficient packaging with the consumption of less energy and resources and less waste after use,' Alexis Stassinopoulos, president of the World Packaging Organization, said at"

First Giant Panda Released Into the Wild

First Giant Panda Is Released Into the Wild: "With two barks and a charge at a film crew, Xiang Xiang the panda today became the first captive-born giant panda to be released into the wild."

the panda was released in the western end of the Wolong Nature Reserve, a mountainous region covering 770 square miles (1,994 square kilometers) with a hundred peaks more than 16,400 feet (5,000 meters) high.

"It's an area that's known to be frequented by other pandas,"

Supported by funding from the National Geographic Society, USCEF and research institutes are working to identify potential new giant panda habitat in the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary.

"Even if captive-bred pandas are successfully released into the wild, WWF does not believe that captive breeding alone is an effective conservation method to save giant pandas," said Dermot O'Gorman, WWF China's country representative.

"Protecting the pandas' habitat is the most important step in giant panda conservation," he said.

Carrefour sort Champion de Chine

Carrefour sort Champion de Chine: "SANS état d'âme, José Luis Duran poursuit le nettoyage de printemps. Le directeur général de Carrefour l'avait promis. Son groupe ne restera pas dans le pays s'il estime qu'il ne peut pas s'imposer parmi les trois leaders du marché. Ce principe est affiné aujourd'hui : Carrefour évalue ses positions par segment de distribution et non plus seulement par pays. En Chine, l'enseigne, qui est de loin numéro un, a ainsi décidé d'abandonner les supermarchés.

Installé depuis 1995 dans l'empire du Milieu, Carrefour n'avait jamais vraiment mis l'accent sur cette branche. Sur ses 315 magasins chinois, 8 sont des supermarchés Champion, 73 des hypermarchés Carrefour et 234 des magasins hard-discount Dia. Encore a-t-il fallu attendre 2004 pour l'ouverture d'un premier Champion. Quatre magasins seront cédés à Shoulan, partenaire local de Carrefour. Pour les quatre autres, le groupe cherche un repreneur."

Il poursuit donc les ouvertures d'hypermarchés – en moyenne un par mois – et de ses Dia – deux à trois par mois.

En attendant, José Luis Duran accélère les désengagements de pays peu rentables. Le retrait des supermarchés chinois intervient après l'annonce de la sortie de Corée la semaine dernière, et les désengagements du Mexique, Japon, République tchèque et Slovaquie en 2005.

Mais José Luis Duran, qui est arrivé à la tête de Carrefour en 2004, n'est pas qu'un «cost-killer». C'est aussi l'homme de toutes les largesses. Lors de la présentation annuelle des résultats de son groupe il a ainsi annoncé qu'il allait consacrer une enveloppe de 10 milliards d'euros pour ouvrir 1 000 magasins dans le monde entre 2006 et 2008.

Carrefour - WWF

Carrefour - Valeurs & engagements - Environnement: "Parmi les autres initiatives importantes, on peut signaler l'adhésion de Carrefour au club Proforêts du WWF ."

Carrefour, membre du Club Proforêts et partenaire du WWF

Près de la moitié des forêts tropicales ont disparu en un siècle, et avec elles de nombreuses espèces animales et végétales.

En adhérant au Club Proforêts en 1999, Carrefour s'est engagé auprès du WWF à encourager une gestion forestière durable, c'est-à-dire à la fois respectueuse de l'environnement, socialement bénéfique et économiquement viable. Dans le cadre de ce partenariat, Carrefour s'engage à progressivement utiliser du bois et papier labellisé FSC pour les publications comme pour les produits en bois (meubles, jouets, …).
Ce label garantit notamment que le bois est issu d'une exploitation forestière qui assure la conservation de la diversité biologique, des ressources en eau, des sols, des paysages et des écosystèmes, tout en respectant les droits des travailleurs.

Carrefour is a member of the Club Proforêts (the French branch of the Forest and Trade Network) and a WWF partner.

The last 100 years have been marked by the destruction of almost half the planet's tropical forests, a loss that also includes numberless animal and plant species.

When signing up to the Club Proforêts in 1999, Carrefour made a commitment to the WWF to work on encouraging sustainable forest management, in other words a system that is at once environmentally sensitive, socially beneficial, and economically viable. As part of this partnership, Carrefour has undertaken to progressively switch to using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood and paper for both its publications and wooden products (furniture, toys, and so on).

The main value of this certification is the guarantee that wood is extracted from a forest in such a way as to preserve biological diversity and natural resources - in terms of water, soil, the landscape, and ecosystems - while simultaneously respecting the rights of forestry workers.

Carrefour China: Investing in Agriculture

Investing in Agriculture (china business mag): "Foreign supermarkets are now setting up contracts with farmers to assure the quality and supply of produce to their stores. One such supermarket chain is Carrefour China. The supermarket giant invests about US$100 to 150 million annually in opening stores throughout the country. 'Carrefour also invests in small farm production by providing technicians, technology and market knowledge to farmers,' explains Antoine Bloch, Carrefour China's national hygiene and quality manager. 'We offer advanced technology, market knowledge and information to small farmers, and in return, we have the guarantee of getting high quality and safe products following our standards. Our products carrying the Carrefour brand name guarantee high quality to customers.'

Carrefour plans to create over 20 branches across the country by 2005. 'This type of investment with farmers has become one of our major axis of development,' adds Bloch."

WWF China - Carrefour - 2004/2005

WWF China: "WWF and Carrefour help local communities in the panda habitat to market green products"

NTFP promotion

Environmentally friendly products from local communities living in the Minshan panda habitat have been promoted at three branches of Carrefour in Chengdu, Sichuan province from October 15 to 30, 2004 and from October 14 to 24, 2005.

2004: Products for sale include honey, flour, walnuts, mushrooms, dried persimmon cakes, and traditional handicrafts.

2005: Products for sale include honey from high-altitude wildflowers, tea and prickly ash fruit.

Places where NTFP come from: Wanglang, Baihe, and Baishuijiang nature reserves in Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

NTFP = Non Timber Forest Product

WWF China - Field Report: Wanglang Panda Nature Reserve

WWF China: "They reveal that most pandas congregate in the lowest of the three valleys in the 32 000-hectare reserve near the gatehouse. This has prompted managers to shut off the area to the visitors who increasingly drive up here during Chinese public holidays in May and October .

The rangers also know whose droppings are whose. Each animal has a distinctive bite, measured by the gap between its molars. Zhou and the other patrollers routinely pick through the green droppings to find bamboo remains and measure how long they are. From that they can map each animal's terrain. "

Eco-tourism:

"Our unique customs, language and costumes are a tourist attraction," he said. "Our women sing and dance for the tourists. We are building guest houses so that they can stay in our villages. We hope for many Chinese visitors, and thanks to WWF we had two foreign groups last year."

Didn't he fear that tourists, even concerned socially and ecologically-minded Western tourists, could damage their culture? Far from it, he said. "Our ways were dying. Eco-tourism has helped to revive our culture." Old people, he said, are dredging their memories for old dances and songs.

Other interesting resource in this field support:
Writer's Journal: Wanglang Diary

WWF - Protecting China’s national treasure - Sept 2005

WWF - Protecting China’s national treasure: "The Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as in neighbouring Myanmar and northern Vietnam. Due to expanding human populations and development, however, the species is now restricted to only 20 or so isolated patches of forest throughout several of China's mountain ranges. "

"Xia’s honey, like that of other beekeepers, is sold at the Wanglang reserve to passing tourists. And thanks to a deal negotiated with the help of WWF, the honey is now being sold to Carrefour, Europe’s largest retailer, which has a strong presence in China. "

WWF - Panda survey

WWF - Panda survey helps create new generation of conservationists: "Equipped with an electronic tracking device and a satellite positioning system, Li Xiang Feng and his colleagues covered over 23,000km2 in three years searching for signs of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)."

"Back at the base, technicians reviewed and recorded all the information to form a national Geographic Information System (GIS) database on the extent of panda habitat."

"In his almost three years in the field, Li saw a panda only once. Pandas, shy and wary of humans, can smell people coming and quickly run away."

WWF's work on panda conservation

WWF - nearly 1,600 giant pandas in the wild - Jun 2004

WWF - New survey reveals nearly 1,600 giant pandas in the wild: "Results from the most comprehensive survey of China’s giant panda population reveal that there are nearly 1,600 pandas in the wild, over 40 per cent more animals than previously thought to exist. "
"WWF experts believe that the difference is mainly due to better counting than a better environment for the giant panda."

"More than 170 people worked in 54 counties in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, covering an area of over 23,000 km2. They collected data on the state of natural resources in panda habitats, as well as the socioeconomic status of people living in the panda's range. "

"Across China there are 40 panda reserves - protected areas for pandas - compared to 13 two decades ago. "

"WWF was the first international conservation organization invited to work in China and has been working on giant panda conservation in China since 1980."

Net rate of forest loss in Africa second highest in the world

Net rate of forest loss in Africa second highest in the world: "Globally, Africa suffered a net loss of forests exceeding 4 million hectares per year between 2000 and 2005, according to FAO. This was mainly due to conversion of forest lands to agriculture. Forest cover went from 655.6 million hectares (ha) to 635.4 million ha during this period.

South America is the world region with the highest net loss of forests."

Forests and climate change

Forests and climate change: "Better forest management has key role to play in dealing with climate change
Climate change and forests are intrinsically linked. On the one hand, changes in global climate are already stressing forests through higher mean annual temperatures, altered precipitation patterns and more frequent and extreme weather events. At the same time, forests and the wood they produce trap and store carbon dioxide, playing a major role in mitigating climate change. And on the flip side of the coin, when destroyed or over-harvested and burned, forests can become sources of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

FAO has warned that action should be taken now to manage these complex relationships in a more holistic manner. [...]"

Le protocole de Kyoto est appelé à la rescousse des forêts tropicales

LE MONDE | 20.03.06 | 14h55 • Mis à jour le 20.03.06 | 14h55

Nous sommes à la veille de la plus grande crise d'extinction depuis la disparition des dinosaures." Ahmed Djoghlaf ne mâche pas ses mots, alors que s'ouvre, lundi 20 mars, à Curitiba, au Brésil, la 8e conférence d'application de la convention sur la biodiversité signée en 1992. M. Djoghlaf, le secrétaire de la convention, ne fait que synthétiser une idée largement partagée par les naturalistes. Le rythme actuel d'extinction des espèces est au minimum 260 fois plus rapide que le rythme évalué depuis l'apparition de la vie sur Terre, résume Robert Barbault, du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, dans Un éléphant dans un jeu de quilles (Seuil, 2006).


La communauté internationale a adopté en 2002, à La Haye, l'objectif de réduire en 2010 le taux d'extinction des espèces. Mais aucun acte concret n'a permis d'enrayer le désastre silencieux qui est en cours, particulièrement dans les forêts tropicales. Face à l'impuissance de la convention sur la biodiversité, de nombreux experts et diplomates s'intéressent aux dispositifs créés par le protocole de Kyoto sur le climat.

Ce sera un des principaux sujets de discussion à Curitiba. En effet, à travers le "mécanisme de développement propre", le protocole de Kyoto commence à injecter dans la lutte contre le changement climatique le nerf de la guerre, à savoir l'argent. Des entreprises des pays du Nord peuvent ainsi se voir créditer les émissions de gaz carbonique qu'elles évitent en investissant dans des procédés propres dans les pays du Sud. Ces crédits seront valorisés dans quelques années.


BIO-SÉQUESTRATION DU CARBONE


Dans la mesure où les forêts fixent le gaz carbonique, elles pourraient participer à ce système. L'hypothèse a été étudiée dans un colloque qui vient de se tenir sous l'égide de l'Unesco, à Paris.

"C'est un enjeu majeur, dit Guy Reinaud, de l'association Pro Natura International. Si on ne paye pas pour protéger les forêts, on va perdre leur biodiversité en cinquante ans. Par ailleurs, la déforestation influe sur le changement climatique, puisqu'elle représente près de 20 % des émissions de gaz à effet de serre."

Le principe est donc simple : en échange de crédits de CO2, des entreprises financeraient des projets de reboisement ou de prévention de la déforestation. Mais elles sont pour l'heure peu incitées à le faire : "Les projets forestiers sont aujourd'hui plus coûteux à mettre en place que la réduction des émissions de gaz dans des installations industrielles", dit Benoît Bousquet, de la Banque mondiale.


Pour rendre la bio-séquestration du carbone plus attractive, "il faudra combiner plusieurs objectifs", estime Natarajan Ishwaran, directeur de la division des sciences écologiques de l'Unesco : "réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, mais aussi protection de biodiversité, production de biocarburant et développement local."

Les pays forestiers sont de plus en plus intéressés par cette formule et ont lancé une initiative dans ce sens lors de la conférence de Montréal sur le climat, fin 2005. L'Unesco espère pouvoir faire bientôt démarrer plusieurs projets pilotes, notamment en Amazonie.

Hervé Kempf
Article paru dans l'édition du 21.03.06

Tags: foret, forest

Forest Certification Environment and Development

WWF - Forest Certification Environment and Development: "Publications: Forest Certification Environment and Development"

WWF - Forests in Indochina receive FSC certification

WWF - Forests in Indochina receive FSC certification: "Vientiane, Lao PDR – Two natural forest areas in central Laos have been certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme, the leading international standard of good forest management."

Illegal logging directly linked to forest governance issues

IUCN News - Illegal logging directly linked to forest governance issues, says World Conservation Union: "Illegal logging and related trade practices are directly linked to insecurity of land tenure, inappropriate logging concession systems, corruption and overcapacity of timber processing, says the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Increasing the contribution of government, civil society and the private sector to th e East Asia and Pacific “Forest Law Enforcement and Governance” (FLEG) process is therefore a key priority to combat illegal logging, the Union said yesterday at the closing of the second East Asia and Pacific FLEG Task Force and Advisory Group meeting in Manila."