China's green development: A model for global sustainability

China has emerged as a global leader in promoting green development and building a community of life for all on Earth. Guided by its ecological civilization philosophy, China has made remarkable progress in environmental protection and sustainable development, offering valuable insights for the world.

"We must work together to promote harmonious coexistence between man and nature, build a community of all life on Earth and create a clean and beautiful world for us all," Chinese President Xi Jinping said via video link during the opening ceremony of the high-level segment of the second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in 2022.

China has been actively implementing green development concepts across various sectors. In ecological conservation, it has launched a series of large-scale projects, including the protection and restoration of grassland and the conservation of wildlife populations.

Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province, for example, delivers over 60 billion cubic meters of high-quality freshwater downstream every year, and the grassland coverage and grass yield in the park have increased by over 11 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

Among the notable achievements in the Sanjiangyuan area, 1,950,000 mu of degraded grassland has been restored, and 110,000 mu of land has undergone treatment for desertification control. These efforts have helped increase wild animal populations, with the number of Tibetan antelopes rising from fewer than 20,000 to over 70,000.

So far, 90 percent of China's terrestrial ecosystem types and 74 percent of key state-protected wild flora and fauna species have been placed under effective protection measures, while the wild populations of over 300 rare and endangered flora and fauna species have been restored and increased.

China has also vigorously promoted international cooperation on green development, energy revolution and climate change. In Thailand, a hydro-floating solar project jointly built by China and Thailand in the Sirindhorn Dam was put into commercial operation in October 2021. The installed capacity of the project reaches 58.5 megawatts, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 47,000 tonnes per year.

The country has been generous in sharing its ecological progress with the world. It has released reports like "Building a Community of Life for All: China in Action" and white papers on biodiversity protection, showcasing its successful practices in pollution control, environmental protection and ecosystem restoration. 

Through South-South cooperation on climate change, China has signed 54 memorandums of understanding with 42 developing countries and held over 300 capacity-building training sessions for participants from more than 120 developing nations. Since 2016, China has contributed 177 billion yuan ($24.4 billion) to projects that help developing countries address climate change.

China also actively participates in and promotes international environmental conventions, incorporating climate action and biodiversity protection into its national development plans. China was instrumental in the adoption of the Paris Agreement and has committed to achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, demonstrating its responsibility as a major country.

(Cover: The Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 23, 2024. /VCG)