Baotou in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region is making strides in carbon trading with a homegrown environmental initiative at its core: the city's "digital carbon ticket", a local carbon exchange reshaping how industries, businesses and residents approach carbon offsetting.

A new carbon sequestration forest is built in Baotou by utilizing the benefits of digital carbon tickets. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

The model is simple: companies or individuals buy carbon credits to compensate for their emissions. The funds then support ecological development, creating a sustainable cycle that balances environmental and economic needs.

Every morning, Zhang Rui, a staff member at Baotou's forestry and grassland bureau, starts her day by checking Baotou's forestry carbon credit certification and trading platform. Launched in 2021, it has become the cornerstone of the city's carbon trading efforts, tracking and managing the region's growing pool of carbon credits. The digital carbon tickets, issued as certificates for verified carbon sequestration by local forests and grasslands, mark a shift in how carbon markets operate.