How green development is shaping the future of China and the world

Editor's note: As the year draws to a close, CGTN presents "Anchor of Stability in Shifting Times: China's Diplomacy in 2025," a special series of in-depth news stories exploring China's diplomatic priorities, from the four global initiatives, neighborhood diplomacy and major-country relations to South-South cooperation and green development. Each article assesses the global resonance of China's approach as we enter 2026, giving context and specificity to its vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

On September 24, 2025, China took center stage at the UN Climate Summit. 

In line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement, President Xi Jinping announced China's 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions – an ambitious pledge that will guide the country toward an unprecedented expansion of clean, reliable and affordable energy. 

Introducing goals ranging from reducing economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in China's total energy consumption to expanding the installed capacity of wind and solar power sixfold from 2020 levels, Xi said meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself and a supportive and open international environment, and China has the resolve and confidence to deliver on its commitments.

It was the first time China had set an absolute emissions reduction target, marking the country's shift from intensity-based control to total emissions control.

Over the years, China's steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development have seen it emerge as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, shining bright as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change.

A greener China

Today, the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is a governing principle guiding China's modernization, inspiring efforts to curb pollution and restore ecosystems.

By following the national carbon-peaking and carbon-neutrality strategy, tangible progress has been made across multiple fronts, including policy systems, energy transition and green, low-carbon industries. 

Data from the National Development and Reform Commission shows that China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system. Amid efforts to advance a large-scale equipment-renewal program and promote the green, low-carbon upgrading of key industries, the scale of the country's green, low-carbon sector has reached approximately 11 trillion yuan (about $1.56 trillion).

Compared with a decade ago, the average concentration of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in key cities nationwide has fallen by 56 percent, while heavily polluted days have dropped by 92 percent – the fastest air quality improvement pace globally.

In recent years, China has established an ecological protection redline system, accounting for more than 30 percent of the country's total land area, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The results have been astounding, with 90 percent of China's terrestrial ecosystem types and 74 percent of key protected wild animal and plant species populations now effectively safeguarded.

From vast solar fields in the Gobi Desert and wind turbines along coastal provinces to new energy vehicles reshaping urban mobility, China is demonstrating how high-quality growth and high-level environmental protection can move forward together.

Making green growth global

Building on its domestic achievements, China is expanding assistance to other countries pursuing green growth and helping them strengthen their adaptation capacity for climate change.

Through the Green Belt and Road Initiative, China is working with partner countries to adopt renewable energy, protect biodiversity and improve climate resilience.

For instance, in Pakistan, the Karot Hydropower Plant, a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, supplies clean, affordable electricity for approximately 5 million people, generating over 3 billion kilowatt-hours annually from its 720 MW capacity.

In October this year, Unit 1 of the Biovea 46 MW Biomass Power Plant in Cote d'Ivoire, constructed by China, was connected to the national grid for the first time.

As a flagship clean energy and livelihood initiative in West Africa, the plant will convert abundant local agricultural waste into clean energy. It is expected to annually generate 348 GWh of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 180,000 tonnes, helping ease regional power shortages.

For many developing nations facing the dual challenge of pursuing growth while protecting ecosystems, China's experience has become a source of inspiration – showing that development and protection can reinforce each other.

As an active participant in South-South cooperation, China has signed 53 memorandums of understanding on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries and has implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Additionally, China has rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries.

Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China is firmly committed to the path of ecological priority and green development, while expanding the world's "green map" and promoting a more inclusive, more sustainable model of global development.