China to create 'Zero-Carbon Villages' for green and low-carbon development

On Sunday, China’s central authorities issued a guideline document on accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of development. This marks the first time that China has systematically planned a comprehensive green transformation at the national level. The guidelines have raised a raft of work tasks such as optimizing the development and protection of territorial space, promoting the green and low-carbon transition in the industrial structure and the energy sector, as well as promoting green transition in the transport sector and urban-rural development.

On July 22, 2024, the first "Zero-Carbon Village" certificate in Hainan Province, and the second in China, was awarded to Maona Village in Wuzhishan City in southern China. This not only recognizes the achievements of Maona Village in the path of green development but also sets a new benchmark for China's rural revitalization.

The concept of a "Zero-Carbon Village" aims to promote rural green transformation and sustainable development by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sinks, achieving a balance between carbon emissions and carbon absorption within the village. The goal is to reach a state where the per capita carbon dioxide emissions are zero, thereby minimizing negative environmental impacts. This concept emphasizes the adoption of low-carbon and environmentally friendly measures in rural planning and living, including but not limited to the use of renewable energy, the promotion of green agriculture, and the advocacy of low-carbon lifestyles, all to achieve the goals of sustainable rural development.

Maona Village, about 30 kilometers from Wuzhishan City, is a Li ethnic group village surrounded by lush mountains and rivers, rich in the Li ethnic culture. Relevant departments found that Maona Village is located in the core area of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, with 6,160.92 mu (about 410.93 hectares) of forested land, giving it a natural advantage in carbon absorption. Additionally, the creation of a "Zero-Carbon Village" can enhance the promotion of Maona Village, further driving the development of agricultural products such as tea and glutinous rice wine, promoting the integration of agriculture and tourism, attracting more visitors, and creating more sources of income for the villagers.

Maona Village is not the first to embrace the concept of a "zero-carbon village."

Jiuhua Village, located at the border between Nanjing and Anhuiin in east China, is China’s first "zero-carbon village." The forest within Jiuhua Village can generate approximately 2,600 tCO2e, or tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in carbon offsets, indicating that Jiuhua Village possesses excellent ecological conditions. The term tCO2e is commonly used in carbon accounting, and sustainability reporting to measure and compare the impact of various greenhouse gases by converting them into the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide based on their global warming potential.

Under the strong advocacy of the village government, residents of the village have adopted cleaner living practices, such as using green and clean energy sources like solar power and natural gas. Many villagers have installed photovoltaic panels on their rooftops. The village boasts a 100 percent usage rate of renewable energy streetlights and clean energy heating systems, and 90.38 percent of its public transportation is low-carbon. As a result, the village has maintained zero overall greenhouse gas emissions. The photovoltaic panels not only provide electricity for the villagers but also allow them to sell excess electricity, creating a mutually beneficial situation. Additionally, given the favorable ecological conditions, Jiuhua Village has also focused on developing the tea industry, including tea production and harvesting, and has launched ecotourism initiatives to support the "zero-carbon" concept.