Sino-French carbon sequestration project launched

Kunming (CNS) -- Yunnan's eco carbon sequestration, forestation and methane project was launched with Chinese and French cooperation in its capital city of Kunming on Thursday.

The project consists of carbon-fixing forests covering 59,000 hectares and methane tanks for 24,000 households. An investment of 657 billion yuan (about US$ 104.21) was made, with 35 million euro (about US$ 46 million) coming from the Agence Francaise de Développement (AFD) for a term of 17 years.

The Yunnan project marks the beginning of bilateral cooperation set out in a joint statement on measures to be taken against climate change signed in 2007.

The eco project aims to increase the amount of carbon fixed in organisms, control greenhouse emissions in rural areas, promote the use of methane, and improve the local natural and living environment, complemented by means to conduct international technological interactions, training programs for rural residents, and the setup of new institutions.

Well known for its rich biological diversity, Yunnan has carried out three phases of forestation projects 50 percent funded by the World Bank.

AFD is a state financial institute of France dedicated to offering official development assistance loans to developing countries. In China, it has endorsed energy conservation, emission reduction, and clean energy projects in the relatively underdeveloped western regions. Yunnan once borrowed 98,500 euro for its transportation and wind power generation constructions.