New Delhi: International Campaign for Tibet has released a new report on Tibetan environmental defenders titled "Environmental Defenders of Tibet: China's Persecution of Tibetan Environmental Defenders".
“The persecution of Tibetan environmental defenders and the global stakes of Tibet’s environmental degradation demand heightened awareness. In Tibet, it is standard practice for those who speak out on the environment to face persecution simply for telling the truth,” a statement of ICT read.
“This report places a spotlight on the fate of those who bravely took action to protect their environment and reminds global leaders that environmental destruction and climate change in Tibet does not stay in Tibet: It negatively impacts the entire region and globe,” it explained.
Kai Müller, executive director of ICT Germany, said, “The Chinese government’s repression of Tibet’s environmental defenders is extremely dangerous and demands immediate intervention by the international community. The science is irrefutable. Failure to recognize Tibet’s role in the regional ecosystem and inaction on climate change in Tibet will have destabilizing effects for almost 2 billion people dependent on river water from Tibet and 40% of the world’s population who rely on ecosystem services provided by the Tibetan Plateau.”
“The international community must recognize that Tibetan environmental defenders are best equipped to build resilience in the land. They should be empowered to mitigate and adapt to climate change for the benefit of 40% of the world’s population. The Chinese government’s denial of Tibetan rights is both foolhardy and hazardous to all of us,” Kai Müller said.
“The report reveals the Chinese government’s level of oppression and true aims in environmental management, despite its global positioning as supposedly committed to sustainability and international cooperation.
Read the complete report here.
(Information supplied by Tibet Post & ICT)
By Team TRC