From tibetsupport@gn.apc.org Sat Jun 22 09:37:32 1996 Received: from bud.sandelman.ocunix.on.ca by sandelman.ocunix.on.ca with SMTP id AA10400 sender tibetsupport@gn.apc.org (5.65a/IDA-1.4.2); Sat, 22 Jun 96 09:35:23 -0400 Received: from gn.apc.org (gn.apc.org [194.202.158.2]) by bud.sandelman.ocunix.on.ca (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id JAA07717 for ; Sat, 22 Jun 1996 09:46:06 -0400 Received: by gn.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.32 ) id OAA18545; Sat, 22 Jun 1996 14:45:37 +0100 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 14:45:37 +0100 From: Tibet Support Group UK Message-Id: <199606221345.OAA18545@gn.apc.org> To: dianne@gateway.sandelman.ocunix.on.ca Subject: Yamdrok Tso Resolution Status: RO Hello all, Following is the text of a resolution on Yamdrok Tso submitted to The General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conservation Union, for its 20th Session of the General Assembly in Montreal, Canada, 14-23 October, 1996 by the International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet. The resolution if passed would be a landmark in Tibetan environmental campaigning. At the moment there are only 2 co-sponsers, I am working on UK IUCN members to try and get some UK co-sponsers. It would be of great help to get others from your countries (especially Austria). Please copy the following text to IUCN members in your countries and urge them to co-sponser. Their co-sponsership must be registared by July 12. Please contact me for more details. Regards - Lorne Stockman ********************************************************* Protection of the local environment and biological diversity at Yamdrok Tso, Tibet. RECALLING the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Convention on Biological Diversity (Na.92-7807) dated June 5,1992; which states that the conservation of biological diversity is a common concern of humankind, that States have sovereign rights over their own biological resources, and that States are responsible for conserving their biological diversity and for using their biological resources in a sustainable manner; RECALLING AND AFFIRMING the principles within the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, specifically the international responsibilities for each Contracting Party to conserve, manage and wisely use the wetlands habitat of migratory waterfowl; RECALLING AND AFFIRMING Principle 22 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, adopted at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992, which declares: "Indigenous people and their communities and other local communities have a vital role in environmental management and development because of their knowledge and traditional practices. States should recognize and duly support their identity, culture and interests and enable their effective participation in the achievement of sustainable development." CONSCIOUS that the People's Republic of China is developing a pump storage hydroelectric project at Yamdrok Tso (also known as Yangzhouyonghu or Yanzho Yumco) which is a low nutrient, high altitude, closed lake system; CONSCIOUS that Yamdrok Tso is a lake of religious and cultural importance to the Tibetan people; CONCERNED for the continued integrity of scarce wetlands resources on the Tibetan plateau that are habitat for migratory and indigenous waterfowl and other wildlife; CONCERNED for the potential effects of the project on the local environment, including changes in local climate, wildlife habitat, and water quality in Yamdrok Tso and the nearby Yarlung River; CONCERNED for the potential impact of the Yamdrok Tso project upon the Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis), a vulnerable species on IUCN's Red List; CONCERNED that project planning, design, and implementation have not addressed the significant concerns of the local community; The General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conservation Union, at its 20th Session of the General Assembly in Montreal, Canada, 14-23 October, 1996: Page 2 of 2 1. CALLS upon the People's Republic of China to assess the environmental effects of the proposed hydroelectric pump storage project thoroughly prior to its operation, specifically the effects upon the local climate, fisheries, and migratory fowl that rely upon these waters for their TransHimalayan route; 2. CALLS upon the People's Republic of China to establish convincingly that the project will not cause significant impact upon the vulnerable species, to design appropriate mitigation measures for significant negative impacts, or to develop alternative methods for supplying local energy requirements; 3. REQUESTS that if the Yamdrok Tso project results in the loss of habitat, to establish a wetlands preserve under the full protection of the Ramsar Convention in the vicinity to protect migratory waterfowl stocks; 4. URGES the People's Republic of China to establish permanent mechanisms for local participation in planning, designing, and implementing development projects. Sponsors: International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet United States of America tel. 510-486-0588 fax. 510-548-3785 e-mail: iclt@igc.apc.org Contact: Valerie Logsden / D'Arcy Richardson ANCON (Asociacion Nacional para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza) Republic of Panama tel. 507-264-8100 fax. 507-264-1533 e-mail: ancon@ancon.up.ac.pa Contact: Angel Urena The Wilderness Society Australia tel. 61-2-552-2355 fax. 61-2-552-1077 e-mail: cdoran@acs.itd.uts.edu.au Contact: Christopher Doran Page 1 of 2 Background Information Protection of the Local Environment and Biological Diversity at Yamdrok Tso, Tibet Physical Setting: Yamdrok Tso (also known as Yangzhouyonghu or Yanzho Yumco) is Tibet's third largest lake. It is located on the northern side of the Himalayas, 120 km south of Lhasa, and lies at a height of 4,445 m above sea level. The lake is a closed system, seasonally replenished by precipitation and glacial runoff. Its waters are turquoise in color. The lake is on average 30 m deep, with a maximum depth of 59 m. Estimates of the lake's surface area range from 624 to 658 square kilometers. The lake has a catchment area of 6,100 square kilometers and a storage capacity of 15 billion cubic meters. The dissolved mineral content of the water, 1,900 mg/L, is at the upper boundary of the normal range of fresh water. Yamdrok Tso provides habitat for many species of wildlife. Of greatest concern is the black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) which has been sighted at the lake ("Death of Sacred Lake: The Yamdrok Tso Hydro-Electric Power Generation Project of Tibet," Tibet Support Group, UK, March 1996). This species is classified as Vulnerable under the revised IUCN Red List Criteria. The main threats to this species are the loss and degradation of habitat. (David H. Ellis, George F. Gee, and Claire M. Mirande, Cranes: Their Biology, Husbandry, and Conservation. Blaine, WA: Hancock Wildlife Research Center, 1996). In addition, a partial list of the lake's migratory birds includes: pintail (Anas acuta); common teal (Anas crecca); gadwall (Anas strepera); garganey (Anas querquedula); tufted pochard (Aythya fuligula); demoiselle crane (Anthopoides virgo); coot (Fulica atra); lapwing (Vanellus vanellus); curlew (Numenius arquata); green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus); and the black-headed gull! (Larus ridibundus). (Tibet Support Group, UK, 1996, 14.) Religious and Cultural Importance: Yamdrok Tso is considered one of Tibet's four most sacred lakes. Its sacred status has been acknowledged by many sources. (The Economist, April 17, 1993, 34). Tibetans believe it is endowed with spiritual powers and is a special "life-power lake" (bla-mts'o). It is a pilgrimage site with enormous spiritual significance for Tibetan Buddhists. (Tibet Support Group, UK, 5.) There are two prominent monasteries situated on the lake: Samding and Yondopa. The Project: In 1984, China's Ministry of Water Conservancy chose Yamdrok Tso as the site for a hydroelectric power station. The next year the site and plan were formally approved by the state. The Chinese government will use Yamdrok Tso as the reservoir for a pump-storage hydroelectric project to supply power to the greater Lhasa area. It is rare for a closed lake system to be used as a reservoir in this way. The water will drain into a tunnel ten metres below the lake's surface, drop 846 metres through a 6 km tunnel, pass through turbines in the powerhouse at the lower end, and empty into the Yarlung river below. The Chinese government claims that during off-peak hours, excess capacity from the Lhasa power grid will be available to pump clarified river water back up to the lake through the reversible turbines. Austrian contractors allege that the Chinese do not intend to sacrifice the large amount of power that would be needed to maintain lake levels. Page 2 of 2 (Tibet Support Group, UK, p. 18, quoting International Campaign for Tibet, August 8, 1995.) Meanwhile, reports from the project site indicate that construction has been shoddy and that tunnels leading from the lake to the turbines are leaking heavily (International Campaign for Tibet, in press). Concerns about the Project: Tibetans, led by the late Panchen Lama (the second highest spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists), have vehemently opposed the Yamdrok Tso project on the grounds that it will desecrate the lake and may have significant negative impacts on the local environment and wildlife. The project was delayed while the Panchen Lama was alive because of his opposition. He insisted that the project would waste money, bring no benefit to the Tibetans, would result in grave environmental damage, and would harm the lives of the herdspeople who live near the lake shores. The Panchen Lama and other Tibetans did not accept the claims of the Chinese government that the water level of the lake would be unaffected. They believe that contamination of the turquoise waters of the lake with muddy river water will destroy its purity and spiritual power, and that the project will eventually result in draining of the lake. In addition, Tibetans have not been involved in the decision-making process regarding the project, and many of their concerns have not been addressed. A United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report from a mission to Tibet stated that the "project would reduce the area of the lake" and "there are serious discussions about the project, including issues of the ecological balance as well as cultural and religious beliefs." Labor for the project has been provided by the Chinese People's Armed Police, and Tibetans charge that the power generated by the project will serve Chinese immigrants to Tibet rather than local Tibetan people. Many non-government organizations have protested against this project, including the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Greenpeace. During the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, ICT and Eco-Tibet presented over 10,000 signatures on a petition to stop construction of the project. Technical Concerns. The Chinese government has produced a summary report on the predicted effects of the project on the hydrology and aquatic chemistry of the lake (Weiguang, S. 1991. Hydropower Development of Plateau Closed Lake in Tibet: Environmental problem and protection, pp. 349-356, In: Advances in Water Resources Technology, G. Tsakiris (ed.). Balkema, Rotterdam). The report leaves many questions unanswered. The overall effect of the drawdown on lakeshore habitat is an open question; the ecological effect of the introduction of the more mineralized lake water into the Yarlung River may result in habitat destruction immediately downstream of the turbines; and the entire analysis presented is based on a predicted decrease in the lake's surface area. While the mathematics proceeding from this prediction seem valid, the report provides no information to allow for a validation of the surface area predictions. Furthermore, given the specification for a peak drawdown capacity of 18 cubic meters per second, the project could only be run at 28% capacity on an annual basis in order to meet the stated goal of using only 160 million cubic meters of water, assuming that river water is not used to resupply the lake. Again, the energy consumption required to resupply the lake with river water makes it unlikely that predicted water levels can be maintained.