Nigeria and china collaborate for eco-friendly modernization:riendly Modernization
Lagos: Balancing development with environmental protection is a major common challenge for the world today.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, China, as the world’s largest developing country, has achieved a remarkable green development trajectory that has captured global attention. This achievement has contributed Chinese wisdom, solutions, and strength to global ecological and environmental governance and the building of a cleaner, more beautiful world.
The year 2026 marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period. The recently concluded ‘Two Sessions’, which are the annual sessions of China’s top legislature and political advisory body, have reviewed and approved the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan along with the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China. This outlines a roadmap for China’s high-quality economic and social development and its comprehensive green transition.
The 15th Five-Year Plan sets the development goals for the next five years, emphasizing the need to accelerate the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development. It also calls for active participation and leadership in global climate governance. China aims to adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, fully implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, and deepening South-South cooperation on climate change.
The Ecological and Environmental Code directly addresses global environmental challenges with a standalone section on ‘Green and Low-Carbon Development,’ marking it as a pioneering initiative in global legislative practice. Enshrining the vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature in law, China’s path towards sustainable development is set to become clearer and broader, driven by the nation’s commitment to green initiatives.
China has been proactive in ecological civilisation, integrating ecological progress into its national development strategy and taking concrete actions to combat pollution. It became the first developing country to implement systematic PM2.5 pollution control and has led in establishing and implementing an ‘ecological conservation red line’ system, creating the world’s largest national park system. China has made significant reductions in desertified and sandified land, contributing substantially to the global increase in green areas.
Furthermore, China has been a pragmatic actor in global climate governance, fulfilling its obligations under the Convention. It has made impressive strides in peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, committing to the largest reduction in carbon emission intensity over the shortest period globally. China continues to optimize its energy structure, having built the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, and the most comprehensive new energy industrial chain.
In ten consecutive years, China has ranked first globally in installed capacity for photovoltaic and wind power, with its hydropower and biomass power generation capacities being the largest worldwide. Supplying over 80 percent of the world’s photovoltaic components and 70 percent of wind power equipment, China’s tangible figures demonstrate its active advocacy and implementation in climate governance.
China has played a leading role in global environmental governance, upholding multilateralism, and striving to build a fair, reasonable, and mutually beneficial global environmental governance system. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, China promotes green development, engages deeply in global ecological and environmental governance, and works tirelessly to build a clean and beautiful world.
The nation actively advances South-South cooperation on climate change, enhancing support for countries and regions with fragile ecosystems and weak green development capacities. Collaborating on green energy projects with over 100 countries and regions, China, as the world’s largest exporter of clean technology, has created 46 percent of global jobs in the renewable energy sector, injecting strong momentum into worldwide green development.
China and Africa have been like-minded companions, addressing climate change and promoting green development. African countries have drawn on China’s experience with the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program to implement the Great Green Wall Initiative, advancing efforts to combat desertification in the Sahara.
In the clean energy sector, China has implemented hundreds of cooperative projects in Africa, with the installed capacity of photovoltaic power stations exceeding 1.5 gigawatts. China’s Juncao technology has been introduced to Africa, exemplifying ‘small and beautiful’ livelihood cooperation. Green technologies like wind power, geothermal energy, and solar power are assisting African nations in their energy transition.
The new journey of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period has commenced, opening a new chapter in ecological civilisation development. Standing at this new historical starting point, China is promoting a comprehensive green transition of its economic and social development with unprecedented determination and effort.
As a major African country and an important global economy, Nigeria plays an irreplaceable role in addressing climate change and promoting regional green development. China is ready to collaborate with Nigeria to strengthen policy dialogue, share governance experience, and deepen practical cooperation in clean energy, disaster prevention and mitigation, desertification control, and green finance. Together, they aim to paint a vivid picture of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, ensuring that the green bond of China-Nigeria friendship is passed on with everlasting vitality.