China to create biodiversity fund for developing countries, Xi says

China will spend 1.5 billion yuan (230 million dollars) to help developing countries protect their biodiversity, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday. The announcement came in a speech to the UN Biodiversity Conference taking place online and in-person in the south-western Chinese city of Kunming. China will place the money in a biodiversity fund and is inviting other countries to contribute, Xi said. Xi promised that that China will step up efforts to prevent species extinction, including by expanding its nature reserves. China is the world’s leading producer of greenhouse gases and the largest consumer of coal. Around 60…