China's efforts on environment inspire countries

In Minchinabad, Pakistan's Punjab province, Muhammad Basit Ghauri, a keen observer of the country's energy transition, is excited about the progress made there.

Nearly every home, public building, shop and mosque in the city is adorned with glistening solar panels, many of which were imported from China. This scene was something Ghauri didn't expect to see in areas so far away from major cities, but the sight of solar panels is becoming ever more common in Pakistan.

"What used to be a luxury — solar energy — has now become a practical solution for the lower-middle and even lower income households," said Ghauri, who works for Renewables First, a Pakistani think tank, in an interview ahead of World Environment Day, which fell on Thursday.

As China pioneers the development of an ecological civilization, the ripple effects of the unwavering commitment of the world's largest developing nation have extended far beyond its borders, notably benefiting other developing countries like Pakistan.

Experts and officials are envisioning greener, more sustainable futures for countries in the Global South, drawing inspiration from China's pioneering advancements in environmental and climate initiatives.

This resonates strongly with one of the key tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, which emphasizes China's commitment to jointly promote the construction of a global ecological civilization and get deeply involved in global environmental governance, in order to come up with a worldwide solution for environmental protection and sustainable development.

For Ghauri, the ongoing energy transition in Pakistan has primarily been propelled by the declining costs of solar energy and the increasing prices of electricity from the country's unreliable grid, with solar panels from China playing a crucial role in facilitating this shift.

Pakistan purchased some 16 gigawatts of solar panels from China last year at a cost of more than $2 billion, Ghauri said.

According to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for approximately 80 percent of global solar photovoltaic module manufacturing and has driven a more than 80 percent reduction in the price of solar panels over the past decade.

Ghauri said that instead of just importing its solar products, Pakistan can also learn from China's experiences in developing its solar energy industry.

"No one has built a stronger solar supply chain than China. They dominate global manufacturing not by accident, but through smart investments and a long-term strategy," he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited China in December, engaging in an in-depth discussion with Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu.

While praising China's significant achievements in air pollution control, Sharif expressed a sincere desire to strengthen communication and collaboration with China on air quality management, the renewable energy industry and low-carbon development, according to the ministry.

In interviews with China Daily during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Azerbaijan late last year, the environment ministers of Cambodia and Nigeria also expressed their hopes of learning from China's experiences to advance environmental and climate initiatives in their respective countries.

Eang Sophalleth, Cambodia's minister for the environment, said: "China has been through so much in the past 20 years. Those experiences are very rich. Cambodia is going through the same phase of developing. And with that experience, it can help us to minimize the impact on the environment in Cambodia."

Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Nigeria's minister for the environment, underscored that there is significant potential for China to assist developing nations in addressing their climate challenges.

"China is a country that understands what we are going through because they have gone through it," he said.

Dimitri de Boer, director for China at ClientEarth, an environmental law organization, said there is a major opportunity for developing countries to learn from how China is moving toward green and low-carbon development.

While China has enjoyed impressive economic growth, with people's living standards having improved significantly, the country has also experienced significant environmental improvement in the past decade, he said.

"Air pollution dropped by more than half, surface water quality is much better, and cities are becoming greener. China's carbon emissions are starting to plateau, even while power demand continues to increase every year," he said.

De Boer emphasized China's potential to collaborate with other developing nations in advancing their green and low-carbon development initiatives.

Solar and wind power are now often more affordable than fossil fuels, with their cost continuing to drop, and electric vehicles are becoming very competitive, de Boer said.

"Countries with a decent level of industrialization could be very well placed to start producing these green technologies in their countries, providing major new business and employment opportunities," he added.