Ecological restoration base promotes carbon reduction
Trees planted at the base
A carbon sink restoration mechanism has been introduced by Qingpu District People's Procuratorate with the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality, authorities announced on Tuesday.
A joint ecological restoration base was established last year in the core area of the Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Demonstration Zone, which also serves as a public interest litigation practice innovation base.
Covering 720 mu (48 hectares) of land, it comprises five areas for forestation, greenery maintenance, fish release and river course clearing, as well as two centers for case hearing and law education.
The ecological restoration base
In two cases, violators of environmental protection regulations have planted 80 trees and released 2.08 million fish fry to repair greenery and fishery resources at the base.
In one case, a company was found cutting 201 trees, leading to the damage of about 3,000-square-meter greenery.
Instead of administrative penalty, the procuratorate tried another approach.
The carbon sequestration ecological loss resulting from the case was valued at 11,200 yuan (US$1,627) and the procuratorate ordered the company to make up for the loss via carbon sink purchase.
The company opened an account at Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange and purchased carbon sink.
As a result, trees and lawns totaling 6,800 square meters were planted.
"Simply fining the company wouldn't repair the environment, while the trial will," said Yu Li, an official of the Procuratorate.
