Progress of implementation on the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation in (2011–2020) China

Abstract

Plants are essential resources for the earth and human survival. Many plant species are threatened by human disturbance and are now in danger of extinction. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) seeks to halt the continuing loss of plant diversity and species across the globe. China endorsed the GSPC in 2002, and launched a national plant conservation strategy related to the GSPC in 2008. This paper assesses the progress of GSPC implementation in China. The results show that Targets 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 of the GSPC were achieved in China before 2018, and substantial progress has been made toward meeting Targets 3, 8, 9, 14, and 16 by 2020. Limited progress has been made so far in reaching Targets 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15. Although GSPC implementation has promoted the conservation and restoration of plant diversity in China, China needs to scale up and accelerate its actions related to conserving and/or restoring on both ecological region and vegetation type dimensions in the long run, including integrated in and ex situ native species recovery programs.