How China's 'two mountains' concept is shaping global green development

Erik Solheim recalled that when he visited Beijing over a decade ago, he was so worried about the smog that he didn't even dare to go for a run outdoors. Today, the former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme said that every time he returns, he always makes time for several joyful morning runs.

This year, during one of his morning jogs in Beijing, Solheim made a new observation that most of the vehicles on the road are new energy vehicles. "They are quiet, pollution-free, cost-effective, and they create a large number of jobs related to green technologies." Having traveled extensively across China in recent years, Solheim praised China's "green actions" and "green speed," which have become a hallmark of the country's ecological transformation.

To Solheim, China's visible transformation reflects not just cleaner skies but a deeper shift in philosophy – one rooted in a concept articulated by President Xi Jinping: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." This "two mountains" concept has become a guiding principle for China's ecological efforts and a source of inspiration for sustainable development worldwide.

As President Xi has said, "Harmony between man and nature is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development."

First articulated in 2005 during Xi's visit to Yucun Village in east China's Zhejiang Province, the "two mountains" concept has transformed from a local slogan into a cornerstone of China's national strategy. It has inspired the closure of polluting industries, the restoration of degraded lands and the rise of green sectors such as eco-tourism and clean energy.

Today, China leads the world in renewable energy deployment, having installed nearly 1.889 billion kilowatts of total renewable capacity by the end of 2024, including approximately 887 million kilowatts of solar, 521 million kilowatts of wind and 436 million kilowatts of hydropower, which accounted for 56 percent of the nation's total power capacity and supplied about 35 percent of its electricity generation. According to Solheim, these achievements stem from a fundamental belief that only by integrating economic growth with ecological protection has China been able to turn the vision of sustainable development into a practical reality.

The "two mountains" concept has sparked interest well beyond China. A global opinion poll released by CGTN, covering 24,515 respondents from 48 countries, shows that 81.6 percent of global respondents believe the "Two Mountains" concept has broken the traditional "polluting first and cleaning up later" model of growth.

Clifford Cobb, a leading ecological economist in the United States, has closely followed China's environmental path. He believes the idea presents a new model of development. "Over the past 20 years, China has proven that it's possible to protect nature while generating economic value," Cobb said. "It's a win-win vision the world can learn from."

Egyptian architect and sustainability expert Salah Hagar believes the ecological values championed by Xi's thought are globally relevant. "Respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature is essential to human development everywhere," he said.

On the vast steppes of northern Kazakhstan's Akmola Region, where grasslands stretch wide under open skies and the wind blows strong from the north, renewable energy is transforming the local economy. Engineer Khasabay Kinlosan is part of that change. Every day, he maintains more than 40 wind turbines that are part of a major Belt and Road cooperation project between China and Kazakhstan. These turbines produce over 800 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, cutting carbon emissions by 650,000 tonnes.

It is a vivid example of how China's green development vision is powering global cooperation. Fittingly, it was also in Kazakhstan, in 2013, that President Xi first proposed the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and, for the first time on the international stage, shared the "two mountains" concept.

He announced, "We want to have not only mountains of gold but also mountains of green. If we must choose between the two, we would rather have the green than the gold. And in any case, green mountains are themselves gold mountains."

As the Belt and Road Initiative moves into a new stage of high-quality development, Xi's "two mountains" philosophy is finding growing resonance abroad.

Almas Chukin, a prominent Kazakh economist, says the concept struck a chord with him. "China has become a leader in solar and wind power, and it is addressing global challenges such as climate change through action, not just words," he said. "When I see turbines rising across Kazakhstan's landscape, I believe the skies will be bluer, the waters clearer, and our planet cleaner for future generations."

China's commitment to a shared green future goes far beyond Central Asia. It has supported low-carbon development and ecological capacity building in more than 100 developing countries, particularly small island nations and African states. Through multilateral platforms like the South-South Climate Cooperation Initiative and the Belt and Road's Green Development Partnership, China is exporting not only technologies but also governance models and sustainability know-how.

Its contributions to global biodiversity are equally notable. In 2022, China hosted COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, helping broker the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. UN officials noted that the agreement's success owes much to China's long-standing emphasis on a "whole-of-society" approach to environmental governance.

"President Xi's ecological civilization thought holds great theoretical value and has also proven highly effective in practice," said Eliason Kaganga, a Tanzanian scholar focused on protecting Lake Victoria. "China's solutions – especially those that empower local people – are bringing lasting benefits to African countries and communities."

As China advances on its path toward ecological civilization, the "two mountains" concept is increasingly seen not just as a national idea but as a global contribution.