Reference News Network, October 10 report: Brazil's "Fórum" magazine website published an article on October 7 titled "What Can Brazil Learn from China in Protecting Forests and Water Bodies," authored by Yara Vidal. The following is a compilation of the article:

The 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be held in Brazil in November. Brazil will be at the center of one of the most urgent debates of this century: how to protect forests and curb the climate crisis threatening the Earth.

This meeting will be an opportunity to exchange experiences and specific solutions with other countries - China has many experiences to share. Over the past few decades, China has become a model in ecological restoration, afforestation, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

One of the most inspiring examples from the other side of the world is the protection of the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River flows through one of the most forested areas in China. For most of the 20th century, logging was an important source of livelihood for the region. But when the government banned commercial logging and launched afforestation and sustainable management programs, everything changed. Today, it has become a benchmark for ecological restoration.

China's ecological policies have also changed people's lives. Take the Malahe Forestry Area as an example; people who once relied on timber production now make a living by protecting nature. Local residents are employed as ecological forest rangers, responsible for patrolling forests, preventing fires, and protecting water sources, and thus earn income.

Due to its vast territory, China relies on technology to strengthen environmental protection. Now, traditional patrol methods are combined with drones, high-resolution cameras, and infrared sensors, which can detect illegal logging in a timely manner and monitor vegetation growth in real-time.

This combination of human effort and technological innovation has made previously impossible things possible: reforestation and the restoration of degraded ecosystems.

Brazil faces the same challenges that China experienced 30 years ago: balancing economic growth with environmental protection. There is much to learn from China's path.

For example, making conservation a national policy, setting goals and conducting continuous monitoring. Afforestation and protecting water sources, combining science and technology with social inclusion. Valuing local communities, making them the main actors in conservation work. Using technology to protect nature and improve regulatory efficiency. Creating green income, showing that environmental protection can bring economic benefits.

The Chinese government values environmental protection and integrates it into its economic development plans. China has implemented a series of policies aimed at restoring the ecology and addressing environmental degradation, which have become international benchmarks.

China has implemented the Natural Forest Protection Project, banning commercial logging across large areas of the country, and establishing national ecological reserves, such as the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau - one of the most important reserves in the world, responsible for protecting the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers.

China has also vigorously promoted the restoration of rivers and wetlands, implementing flood control, riverbank restoration, and waterway purification projects. The Yangtze River Protection Law enacted in 2020 created an ecological protection belt, restricting polluting industrial activities, encouraging clean inland transportation, and promoting the use of renewable energy along the banks.

In urban construction, models such as "Sponge Cities" aim to help cities better adapt to the impacts of climate change through green infrastructure, such as vegetated roofs and natural drainage systems. Currently, dozens of cities in China are applying this model to reduce flooding and improve water quality.

These measures are supported by ambitious climate goals, such as striving to achieve carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

Overall, these policies demonstrate how China has transitioned from a growth model based on resource-intensive exploitation to a development strategy that integrates green economy, technological innovation, and social inclusion.

China's experience shows that protecting nature is also development. China has successfully restored rivers, greened mountains, and transformed nature protection into job opportunities and national pride. Brazil, which has the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, can also take the same path, becoming a model of sustainable development. (Translation/ Han Chao)

Photo taken in Qumalai County, within the Changjiang Source Park of the Sanjiangyuan National Park on August 9, 2024, showing a Tibetan wild ass (Xinhua News Agency).

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559409760374653475/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion below using the [Like/Dislike] buttons.