China's Beijing provides low-carbon development experience for megacities: NGO leader

DUBAI, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's capital Beijing has set a good example of low-carbon development for megacities, said an NGO leader.

Gino Van Begin, secretary general of ICLEI, a leading global network of more than 1,750 cities, towns, and regions committed to building a sustainable future, made the remarks at a side event of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Over the last two decades, there has been "a very clear transition -- a move away from fossil fuel toward more green electricity" in China at large as "the good trend (of low-carbon development) is ongoing in many Chinese cities in addition to Beijing," he said.

He noted that ICLEI has been working to spread these good practices within the organization's network to cities of other countries via concrete projects.

Cities are both critical nodes affected by climate change and vital parts of the solution to it, said Chen Tian, director general of Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, at the side event.

Chen said the capital city has implemented a "Green Beijing" strategy by improving energy efficiency, establishing a green transport system, optimizing the industrial structure, and enhancing ecosystem resilience.

Over the past decade, Beijing has seen a cumulative reduction of nearly 50 percent in carbon emission intensity, with the annual average density of PM2.5 down by 66.5 percent, according to figures provided by Beijing Municipal Government.

The side event was held at COP28 China Pavilion to share Beijing's practices and accomplishments in pollution prevention and phasing down carbon emissions in a bid to provide green and low-carbon development references for megacities worldwide.

International organizations, government sectors, universities, research institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders participated in the event.