- Throughout 3 decades of collaboration, ADB and the People’s Republic of China have sought to balance economic progress with environmental sustainability.
- ADB and the People’s Republic of China have piloted new tools for advancing green growth, building opportunities for green economy businesses.
- Important lessons and replicable practices on environment and development for ADB, its developing member countries, and for the global community are showcased in a new book on greening of development in the People's Republic of China.
Throughout 3 decades of our collaborative journey, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have sought to balance economic progress with environmental sustainability. The PRC has adopted valuable experimentation and piloted new tools for advancing green growth, eco-efficiency, protection of nature, pollution control, and use of information technology and digitalization.
A new book on Greening Development in the PRC shares the narrative of the PRC’s efforts to promote green development and ecological restoration as well as accomplishments resulting from its partnership with ADB. It describes how the PRC and ADB have worked together over the past decade to put green development into practice in four areas: (i) Enhancing Environmental Protection and Ecological Conservation; (ii) Transforming the Rural Economy; (iii) Developing Green Livable Cities; and (iv) Investing in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Case studies are used to illustrate how projects were designed, financed, and implemented, and to showcase best practices and lessons learned.
Transcript
Over the past few decades, the People’s Republic of China
has made significant progress
eliminating absolute poverty and recording strong economic growth.
But some of this progress has come at a heavy cost to the environment.
• Urban water pollution
• Deteriorating water quality
• Contaminated soil
• Greenhouse gases
In the last 10 years
the PRC has been promoting comprehensive and innovative green development,
which is supported by the Asian Development Bank.
The PRC’s cutting-edge initiatives on integrating
its development and the environment
provide important lessons and replicable practices
not just for ADB and its developing member countries
but also, for the global community.
00:55 The Partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Asian Development Bank
From 2011 to 2020
92% of projects financed by ADB in the PRC
helped support environmentally sustainable development
A new book describes this partnership.
Our new book showcases how the strong partnership
between the PRC and ADB
has contributed to promoting ecological restoration
and the greening of the country’s development agenda.
Joint efforts by the PRC and ADB in designing innovative projects,
introducing new policies, and strengthening institutional capacities
can offer models for other countries to address
both national as well as regional environmental challenges.
For example, from 2015 to 2023
ADB is investing about $2.9 billion in green development projects
in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
In the Yangtze River Economic Belt Initiative
and the Yellow River Ecological Corridor Program,
we are focusing on ecological conservation,
integrated transport corridors,
transforming industry through high-quality green development,
climate change, institutional strengthening, and policy reforms.
ADB also has a long history of working with the PRC
in addressing climate change.
ADB cooperation with the PRC in recent years includes multi-year support
for reducing air pollution in the greater Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region.
ADB’s overall support to the BTH program
revolves around strengthening policies,
building capacities of institutions,
developing custom-fit financing models,
and promoting advances in technologies in key sectors and industries.
Other activities have focused on creating green livable cities,
rural vitalization,
green finance,
emphasizing sustainability and resilience.
ADB and the People’s Republic of China
will continue to build on past shared experiences
to ensure green development for a more sustainable future.
Disseminating and replicating successful outcomes
will be central to this partnership,
bringing promising prospects to Asia and the Pacific,
as well as beyond.
