China’s efforts in combating climate change have been hailed by Clifford Cobb, a renowned U.S. scholar in sustainable development. Cobb applauds China for its significant strides in reducing carbon emissions and improving industrial and transportation efficiency.
“China is leading the way in forming an ecological civilization,” said Cobb, director of the U.S. Institute for Postmodern Development of China. “These initiatives are capturing worldwide attention.”
Cobb highlighted China’s leadership in alternative energy production and praised its rural development programs aimed at environmental protection and greenhouse gas reduction.
He pointed to successful conservation projects like those in the Loess Plateau in north-central China. “The conservation measures in the Loess Plateau provide techniques that can be used globally to halt desertification and improve soils in arid regions around the world,” Cobb noted.
Cobb also commended China’s “Black Soil Protection” initiative, focusing on restoring degraded soils and increasing their carbon storage capacity. “These projects can serve as demonstration models for farmers in South Asia, West Asia, Africa, and South America,” he said.
One standout aspect of China’s green development is its alignment with the Chinese leader’s “two mountains” theory. “The most impressive feature of this concept is that economic development does not necessarily mean more pollution,” Cobb explained.
The “two mountains” concept—meaning that green mountains and clear waters are valuable assets—has inspired many Chinese cities and villages to pursue sustainable growth through environmental protection and the development of green industries.
“With ingenuity and the right orientation, nations can learn how green mountains can be gold mountains that yield both ecological and economic benefits,” Cobb stated.
Cobb believes that other world leaders can learn from China’s example of blending economic development with environmental protection. “China has begun developing a theory of ecological civilization,” he said, adding that this revolutionary concept will require contributions from every continent.
Planning to visit China soon, Cobb aims to observe firsthand the country’s projects in rural renewal and soil regeneration, particularly in northern regions susceptible to desertification. “I want to learn what can be done to stop the encroachment of deserts into farmland as global temperatures rise,” he said.
As China continues to advance its ecological civilization, Cobb believes its model could offer valuable lessons for the world in balancing development with environmental sustainability.
