HAIKOU, November 20. /TASS/. The experience of the Baoting Autonomous County in China’s southernmost province of Hainan has become the focus of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), currently taking place in Brazil, the local newspaper, Nanguodu shibao, reported.

At the China Pavilion at COP30, Baoting’s Party secretary, Mu Kerui, spoke about projects related to industry landscaping, a low carbon lifestyle, smart urban development, ecosystem approaches and governance modernization.

Over the past few years, the newspaper wrote, Baoting has been promoting systemic governance for “mountains, reservoirs, forests, lakes, herbs, and sands.” Ten projects in environment rehabilitation are being actively implemented, while the Chinese government used the experience in transborder governance for the Chitian reservoir as a case study for the entire country.

In 2023, Baoting in collaboration with the China Europe Carbon Neutrality Cooperation Project Office (CEPCO) launched the China-EU (Baoting) Green and Digital Innovation Zone. Work in a number of fields is ongoing. A platform for the governance of carbon emissions of communities based on the Internet of Things + blockchain + AI is currently under testing. Household carbon bills are being introduced so that residents can exchange the saved water and electricity for tickets to tourist areas and discounts in duty free shops.

Green development in Baoting, the newspaper noted, is inextricably linked to the construction of a free trade zone in Hainan, a province where a favorable ecological environment is considered to be its strongest advantage and a huge capital. The example of Baoting shows to the world how an advanced level of environment protection and high-quality development can complement and enhance each other. This is an example of how it is possible not to compromise development for environment protection amid climate change, the newspaper concluded.