Hainan Province to Expand Low-Carbon Technologies Using Boao Forum Zero Carbon Zone Experience

HAIKOU /China/, September 22. /TASS/. China’s southern Hainan Province plans to use more low carbon technologies based on the experience of the zero carbon demonstration zone of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), China News Service (CNS) reported.

According to the news portal, as part of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the Hainan Free Trade Port will actively introduce green technologies and efficient waste recycling methods under a government plan aimed at comprehensive optimization of the current urban and rural development model. Sun Shuhua, chief engineer of Hainan’s housing department, said earlier that the province’s authorities added these tasks to the list of priority areas for high-quality growth.

The news portal noted that, under the goals set, Hainan will not only summarize the experience of the zero carbon demonstration zone in the settlement of Boao located on the eastern coast of Hainan Island, but will also find ways to introduce more green technologies used there. The authorities are preparing different scenarios for their application in residential areas and parks, while qualified specialists are studying the related market mechanisms to take the project to the national and even international level.

Hainan plans to improve green building standards for structures that will be primarily characterized by extremely low energy consumption. Such buildings should account for 40% of the total civil construction area in the near future.

According to Sun Shuhua, over the next five years, companies operating in the province or promoting cooperation with it will also improve supply chains for materials and components needed to build high-quality green houses with smart technologies.

Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, Hainan has already launched a pilot project dubbed "Cool City" for Haikou, the province’s administrative center, and Sanya, a leading resort city on the island’s southern coast. One of the main goals is to make life more comfortable in the tropical climate. Urban greening will play a key role in this program that will also cover older neighborhoods. Hainan is expected to see more cozy alleys, parks and shady boulevards.

Boao Forum for Asia’s environmental project

China’s central authorities and Hainan administration have been developing the zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao since 2022. A high-tech system on Dongyu Island at the mouth of the Wanquan River, where the BFA complex is located, provides efficient air circulation and cooling in buildings and uses solar energy to illuminate the surrounding area.

The Boao Forum for Asia was founded in February 2001 and has been held on the eastern coast of Hainan Island since 2002. As many as 29 Asian countries are its participants. This platform for developing multilateral cooperation is often referred to as the "Eastern Davos." The Chinese government is focused on the forum’s development, considering it a tool of soft diplomacy. In 2026, around 2,000 people from 60 countries and regions attended the conference. The next forum will take place from March 24 to 27, 2027.