'No waste city'

To fulfill its commitment to fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, China has introduced an ambitious "no waste city" pilot plan. Initiated in 2019, it aims to minimize solid-waste generation and maximize recycling in urban areas.

Specific practices include minimization of the use of landfills as part of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of waste. Moreover, the results of a 10-city pilot program that ended last year will be used to help guide future expansion of the initiative.

Sun Fengran, who works for an environmental consultancy in Guangzhou, capital of the southern province of Guangdong, and her boyfriend have been committed to a "zero waste" lifestyle for more than a year.

The 25-year-old said minimizing their carbon footprint has saved them a lot of money and brought them great happiness.

"It's important to make a plan. First, we cut our budget for new clothes and reduced consumption of other new things. Then, we decided to cook for ourselves or eat at restaurants instead of ordering in meals," she said.

For the things she really cannot do without, Sun said she turns to secondhand options online. "This is also a way to extend the life of products. The most sustainable way is to make the best use of everything," she added.

Wang Wen, secretary-general of the Green Finance Committee at the China Finance Society, said the country's goals of achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060－as announced by President Xi Jinping－will bring many opportunities for the younger generation.

"China may witness dramatic changes, perhaps even greater than those in the 1980s when the country implemented the reform and opening-up policy," he said.

"There will be enormous opportunities for young people, as they are more innovative and hold great potential to provide new solutions. They are the generation that will produce green miracles."