We Talk: As COP31 spotlights climate action, Belarusian creator shares green living in Beijing

The 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20. Under a Türkiye-Australia partnership arrangement, with Türkiye serving as COP president and Australia as president of negotiations, the conference highlights a shift in global climate governance from rule‑setting to practical implementation.

Focusing on three key priorities – emissions reduction, climate finance, and climate adaptation and resilience, COP31 aims to turn previous climate commitments into quantifiable, on‑the‑ground outcomes and keep the 1.5  degrees Celsius temperature‑control target of the Paris Agreement within reach. China has dispatched an official delegation to the summit to actively advance multilateral climate‑negotiation processes.

Kate (Su Xiaoxiao), a Belarusian content creator who has lived in Beijing for eight years, shares snapshots of green living in the Chinese capital. She admires the readily‑accessible urban park green spaces scattered across Beijing’s bustling metropolis, illustrating what a green city looks like – one where development and nature thrive side‑by‑side. For Kate, sustainability does not demand perfection or overnight behavioural overhauls. Instead, it grows out of mindful, small‑scale daily choices. A greener future depends not only on discussions and negotiations at international conferences but also on practical action by individuals in their daily lives.