A Community of Life

Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, offers picture-perfect views. The ear-shaped body of water resting at some 2,000 meters above sea level has restored its natural beauty thanks to efforts to improve its environment over the past few years.

No wonder then that an international forum on eco-environmental progress named after the lake has sparked widespread interest. The recent Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction appealed to the world: All countries need to team up and build a community of all life on Earth, all the while sharing their best experiences and practices.

This year’s forum also saw the launch of the Green Life City Alliance Initiative, which aims to enhance the ecology of urban areas and make urban construction and governance greener and more sustainable.

In the past few years, China has come a long way in terms of ecological protection. Since 2012, guided by President Xi Jinping’s thinking on eco-civilization,China has committed itself to green development. Following the ecosystem’s innate laws, the country has fine-tuned the protection of mountains, rivers and forests as well as that of farmlands, lakes,grasslands, deserts and glaciers.

China also actively participates in global ecological governance and international cooperation to address climate change, and has promised to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The country’s eco-environmental progress has picked up the pace and a beautiful picture of bluer skies, lusher mountains and clearer waters today appears before the world’s eyes.

The international community pays close attention to how China has been able to turn the tables on pollution.Elaborating on China’s ecological outlook and demonstrating the country’s achievements in biodiversity protection will help the outside world better understand China and better facilitate international cooperation.

We have only one Earth. Everyone has a stake in securing our shared future. No country will be immune to the complexities of the current world economy and the challenges climate change produces. BR