Nandu News reporter Wang Wei sent from Beijing On October 18, the “Belt and Road” Green Innovation Conference was held in Beijing. Sun Jinlong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said at the meeting that compared with ten years ago, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in China's major cities has dropped by 56%, the number of days of heavy pollution has decreased by 92%, the proportion of surface water sections with excellent water quality has exceeded 90% for the first time, and the forest coverage rate has exceeded 25%, contributing to 1/4 of the world's new green area, creating a successful practice for the largest developing country to effectively protect the ecological environment while experiencing rapid economic and social development.

On October 18, the “Belt and Road” Green Innovation Conference was held in Beijing.

"China not only continues to promote the construction of its own ecological civilization, but also actively participates in and leads global environmental governance, becoming a staunch activist and important contributor to the world's green development." Sun Jinlong said that since the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative was proposed for more than ten years, China has always adhered to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, supported the green transformation of developing countries with pragmatic actions, and contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to global sustainable development. Green is becoming a distinctive background of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road".

He said that a systematic and complete green "Belt and Road" policy system has been established. The “Belt and Road” Ecological Environmental Protection Cooperation Plan and the “Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction of the Green “Belt and Road” were successively released, clarifying the overall idea, main goals and key tasks of the green “Belt and Road” construction, and providing a road map and construction drawings for the continued promotion of the construction of the Green Silk Road. The "Guidelines for Ecological and Environmental Protection of Foreign Investment and Cooperation Construction Projects" were released to guide Chinese enterprises in strengthening ecological and environmental protection when designing and constructing projects.

The second is to establish a closer green development partnership. Up to now, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents on the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" with more than 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations, all of which regard the joint construction of the Green Silk Road as an important content. We have united 31 countries to jointly launch the “Belt and Road” green development partnership initiative; we have jointly launched and established the “Belt and Road” Green Development International Alliance with 43 countries and more than 170 Chinese and foreign partners, and continue to build a platform for policy dialogue and communication, an environmental knowledge and information platform, and a green technology exchange and transfer platform. The “circle of friends” for green “Belt and Road” international cooperation is getting bigger and bigger.

The third is to continue to deepen practical cooperation in green and low-carbon fields. Develop and implement small but beautiful projects such as the "African Light Belt" to help solve the lighting problem of more than 50,000 households in Africa without electricity. In the desert of the United Arab Emirates, the average annual power generation of photovoltaic power stations built by Chinese companies can meet the electricity needs of 200,000 households, reducing carbon emissions by an average of 2.4 million tons annually. In Egypt, the central business district project undertaken by a Chinese company has adopted a number of energy-saving and environmentally friendly measures in project planning, architectural design, construction and other aspects. Once put into use, it will become the first net-zero carbon building in the Middle East and North Africa. Chinese technologies and Chinese solutions are constantly being transformed into actions and results, bringing tangible benefits to the joint construction of the country.

The fourth is to effectively enhance the joint construction of national environmental governance capabilities. Implement the Green Silk Road Envoy Plan and the "Belt and Road" South-South Cooperation Plan to Address Climate Change, and provide and mobilize 177 billion yuan in project funds to support developing countries in coping with climate change. The Kunming Biodiversity Fund established with funding has been officially put into operation, and the first nine projects supported have benefited 15 developing countries. It has signed cooperation and assistance agreements on climate change with 42 co-building countries and implemented more than 70 assistance projects of various types. More than 300 training sessions have been held for more than 120 developing countries, with a total of more than 10,000 people trained, helping relevant countries improve their environmental management level and ability to cope with climate change.

"Looking forward to the future, we are willing to join hands with all parties to promote the implementation of global governance initiatives, adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, promote the construction of the 'Green Belt and Road' with high quality, and help jointly build countries to accelerate the realization of green and low-carbon transformation goals." Sun Jinlong said.

He also suggested at the meeting to further strengthen dialogue and exchanges around climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution and other aspects to jointly respond to global environmental crises. Respond to the actual needs of developing countries in terms of technology and capacity building, continue to expand cooperation in clean equipment, green technology, marine development and other fields, support green technology research and development and the application of advanced green technology, and promote the formation of more replicable and promoteable practical results.

In addition, he also suggested expanding investment and financing channels to enhance the sustainable development vitality of the green “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Promote the construction of a more open, transparent, and inclusive green investment and financing system, form a green development-oriented development model and investment and financing mechanism, continuously enrich financial products and tools, further optimize the rational allocation of resources along the “Belt and Road”, stimulate the enthusiasm of all sectors of society to participate in the construction of the Green Silk Road, and create a multi-level and diversified new pattern of green investment and financing.

Sun Jinlong said that the construction of the international alliance for green development of the “Belt and Road” should be accelerated and the medium and long-term development plan of the green “Belt and Road” should be scientifically formulated. Continue to improve the “Belt and Road” ecological and environmental protection big data service platform, and strengthen research on ecological and environmental protection laws, regulations and internationally accepted rules. Implement the Green Silk Road Envoy Plan, strengthen interactive exchanges among environmental management personnel in jointly building countries, and increase talent support for the green development of the “Belt and Road” initiative.