By Ren Huanyu
We only have one Earth. Nature is where human beings exist and develop, thus the way forward shall be green development in accordance with nature and eco-friendly progress.
“We must protect this planet like our own eyes, and cherish nature the way we cherish life. We must preserve what gives our planet life and embrace green development.”
The remarks of Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing carry huge significance.
In the first half of this year, the Chinese President attended a series of international events and diplomatic activities where he spared no efforts to promote the ecological civilization characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and nature, calling the world to work together for a green and better future for all and contribute to sustainability.
Today, China has become an important participant, contributor, and torchbearer in the global endeavor for ecological civilization.
John B. Cobb, one of the earliest scholars to bring up the concept of “green GDP” and member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, remarked that China has shed a light of hope upon global ecological civilization.
The Belt and Road is a road for open and green development, and green development is one of the most important guiding principles for the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road.
At the second Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation (BRF), it was proposed by President Xi to launch green infrastructure projects, make green investment and provide green financing to protect the Earth which we all call home.
In this connection, China and its partners have set up the Belt and Road Sustainable Cities Alliance and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) International Green Development Coalition, formulated the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road Development, set up the BRI Environmental Big Data Platform and implemented the Belt and Road South-South Cooperation Initiative on Climate Change.
These concrete moves and plans indicated that building a green Belt and Road is real actions rather than empty talks.
Under China’s efforts to promote green development of the Belt and Road, wildlife-crossing structures have been built for Kenya’s Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway to allow safe passage for giraffes and other wildlife; Sinai Peninsula of Egypt is analyzing China’s experiences of water-saving terraces; and Brazil has built the Belo Monte super high voltage hydroelectric plant that runs on clean energy.
On the way to construct a green Belt and Road, Chinese green technologies and plans are benefiting the people of participating countries and regions.
The International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing was held by the beautiful Guishui River and at the foot of the majestic Great Wall. At the opening ceremony of the Exhibition, President Xi delivered an important speech, noting that the world needs to advocate harmony between man and nature, pursue prosperity through green development, follow a philosophy that cares for nature, adopt a scientific approach to ecological conservation, and join hands to meet common challenges. These five proposals have chartered the course for global countries in working together to build a clean and beautiful world.
The world is seeing strong needs to live in a more “green” environment, and China is showing the world how to do that, how to make decisions and how to implement, said President Bernard Oosterom of International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), giving high recognition on China’s responsibility to promote global ecological civilization at all levels.
The interests and security of every country in the global village are intertwined. In President Xi’s proposal to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity, “clean and beautiful” possesses an important position.
During President Xi’s trip to Europe in March, he said that the community with a shared future for mankind boasts lots of common grounds and similarities with one planet initiative proposed by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The French President gave high evaluation on China’s important role in and contribution to climate change, peacekeeping and other multilateral agendas.
President Xi also called for each party to contribute wisdom and power to build a better homeland at a global governance forum held by China and France. When attending the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Xi called for concerted efforts to fully implement the United Nations’ 2030 sustainable development agenda and stressed the importance of economic growth, social development and environmental protection.
He systematically expounded the proposal to enhance global cooperation on sustainable development, noting that China will stick to the pursuit of green development, and try to build a beautiful homeland with harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
During the G20 Osaka Summit, China and France once again held a meeting on climate change together with the United Nations, reaffirming their strong commitment to enhancing international cooperation on climate change to ensure full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement. China’s “nature-based solution” was hailed by Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres.
China’s promise and actions to practice green development have won wide appraisal from the international society.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella believes that China has a growing decisive role in fighting climate change, and Italy is ready to make its contribution in this regard. Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco also expressed his appreciation for China’s important role in international affairs such as tackling climate change.
China’s huge efforts to improve the environment and protect the nature have set an example for the world, said Vicente González Loscertales, Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions. Emanuel Pastreich, director of the Earth Management Institute in Cheonan, South Korea believes that the historic significance of China’s promotion of green development would be no less than that of the industrial revolution.
Lush mountains, green fields, singing birds and blossoming flowers offer more than beauty to the eye. That was how President Xi described “Live Green, Live Better”, the theme of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing.
The history of civilizations shows that the rise or fall of a civilization is closely tied to its relationship with nature. To keep the clear water and blue sky in the beautiful world for the descendants is an unshakable responsibility of the contemporary generation.
Looking into the future, China will open its arms wider and work with relevant parties along the path of sustainable development featuring increased production, higher living standards and healthy ecosystems, to jointly build a world that is good for living and a community of a shared future for mankind.
