China News Service, Antalya, November 10 (Reporters Xu Junjie and Wang Qingkai) "Over the years, we have insisted on doing one thing - transforming ecological advantages into development advantages, so that those who protect the ecology will benefit first."
On November 10, local time, at the China Corner theme side meeting of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) held in Antalya, Turkey, Zhang Jing, deputy director of the Hainan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, introduced Hainan Province’s exploration and practice in energy transformation, carbon sequestration capacity improvement, and fishery and tourism integration.
With the theme of "Ecological Civilization and the Practice of Beautiful China", this side event was hosted by the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization Research Center and China News Service, and co-organized by the Environmental and Economic Policy Research Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and China News Network.
Zhang Jing introduced at the side meeting that Hainan is a tropical island with a forest coverage rate of more than 62%. “Here, addressing climate change is not an abstract policy issue, but every mangrove, every sea breeze, and the air that every community breathes every day.”
She said that island energy transformation has no hinterland to rely on, and fundamental reforms in the power supply structure must be achieved. "We use Boao Dongyu Island as a model to innovate and implement systematic reshaping models such as renewable energy utilization and intelligent operations, achieving an average annual green power production capacity of 29 million kilowatt-hours and 99.9% carbon reduction in the construction and municipal sectors."
Zhang Jing said that the significance of Boao is not to make an island zero-carbon, but to prove that deep green transformation of existing space can achieve near-complete carbon reduction.
In terms of carbon sequestration, Zhang Jing said that Hainan's carbon sink has two "sea": one is a blue ocean and the other is a green rainforest.
"Since 2020, Hainan has built more than 2,000 hectares of mangroves and restored about 3,322 hectares. The province's mangrove plant area accounts for about a quarter of the country, and the mangrove plant species account for about one-third of the world's."
In addition, Hainan continues to improve the carbon sequestration capacity of tropical rainforest national parks and launches the country's first national park carbon sequestration product. "Hainan actively expands the multiple value realization scenarios of carbon sinks, uses carbon sinks for carbon neutrality in large-scale events, 'judicial + carbon sink compensation' alternative restoration, and promotes carbon sink transactions and value realization." Zhang Jing said.
Zhang Jing also introduced the "fishing and tourism integration" path explored in Haikou's Beigang Island, using "adaptation" as the key word. Beigang Island in Haikou is a traditional fishing community that faces compound risks such as typhoons and declining fish catches. Climate change, coupled with policy and market factors, poses complex threats to fishermen’s livelihoods.
The exploration of "fishing and tourism integration" in Beigang Island includes integrating ecosystem protection and restoration, livelihood transformation and cultural adaptation, partially liberating the community from single dependence on fishing, and at the same time enhancing the natural barrier function through the restoration of mangroves and seagrass beds.
Zhang Jing introduced that as of December 2025, Beigang Island has recorded 216 species of terrestrial plants, 18 species of mangrove plants, and 110 species of birds. The number of seagrass and bird species has increased by more than 30% compared with 2024.
She said that the core of "adaptation" is not to fight the climate, but to allow communities to retain choices in the face of climate shocks - to choose not to lose their livelihoods and to choose not to leave their homes.
Zhang Jing said that Hainan is building an eco-environment-friendly free trade port with world influence, and is willing to share its experience based on its own practices in the fields of island ecological protection, climate adaptation, low-carbon tourism and ecological product value realization, and work hand in hand with the international community to jointly promote the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and contribute more practical experience to global climate governance and sustainable development.
