Together Towards a Green and Low-Carbon Future | Article by the Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan
From August 17 to 28, 2026, the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This is an important meeting of the international community dedicated to addressing the challenges of desertification and a significant step towards a joint response to climate change, implementing the concept of green development, and promoting the development of a low-carbon economy.
The Chinese government places great importance on combating climate change, and the country has come a long way in environmental protection. China previously faced acute environmental problems: in some areas, the average annual concentration of PM2.5 approached 100 μg/m³, the country's forest coverage was only 13%, the area of desertification increased annually by more than 10,000 km², and the proportion of surface water with quality worse than Class V exceeded 40%.
To fundamentally address environmental issues, the Chinese government has taken comprehensive, targeted, and decisive measures, achieving significant results. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the average annual PM2.5 concentration in China has dropped to 28 μg/m³, the proportion of surface water monitoring sites with Classes I–III quality has reached 91.4%, and the country's forest cover has exceeded 25%. Today, for the Chinese, clear skies and transparent waters are no longer a luxury, but a part of everyday life. Public satisfaction with the state of the environment has remained above 90% for the fourth consecutive year.
China's significant achievements in environmental protection have been made possible primarily by the steadfast implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. This Thought profoundly expresses the concept of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity. It is based on the thesis that “green mountains and emerald waters are countless treasures,” and that environmental protection is the protection of productive forces.
This Thought, based on scientific theories and objective realities, has provided successful practices for global sustainable development and offered Chinese solutions. Thanks to this Thought, China has created the world's largest clean energy system and carbon market, and has made significant progress in decisively combating environmental pollution.
Achieving the goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality is one of the key strategic objectives of Xi Jinping Thought on an Ecological Civilization and, at the same time, a solemn promise of the Chinese government. These goals call for peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Their implementation serves as a powerful impetus for profound transformations in China's industrial and energy policies.
The rapid development of new energy vehicle production is already changing the structure of the automotive industry both in China and globally. The share of wind, solar, and other clean energy sources in the country's energy mix has increased significantly. Hydrocarbon consumption in China is expected to peak during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, directly impacting import policies for commodities such as oil and natural gas.
Combating climate change and protecting the environment is a shared responsibility for all of humanity. No country can address this global challenge alone. Only by uniting the efforts of governments and peoples around the world can we address this urgent matter and achieve our common goal.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Turkmenistan Ji Shumin
