Using Green Development Interventions to Address Climate Change

The PRC, a key emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG), is a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In 2010, the PRC set to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 40%–45% by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. This was achieved but GHG emissions are projected to increase until at least 2030 under current policies. In 2020, the country announced it would become carbon neutral by 2060. To attain this goal, it needs to tackle the threat of climate change and create low-carbon cities with sustainable and competitive economies.

Low-carbon development has become a key component of the country’s approach to sustainable development. In 2017, Huangshan was designated as a pilot city for low carbon policy by the PRC government to actively address climate risks and explore low-carbon and green development paths tailored to the local situation.

The Huangshan municipal government sought to integrate climate change risk control measures in its tourism industry—a pillar of the local economy—in line with the aim to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and then decrease them.

Huangshan has a subtropical, humid monsoonal climate with a rising annual mean temperature and increased rainfall that is becoming less evenly distributed in a year. The highest-level climate-related risks identified were in the areas of urban flooding and extreme heat. The municipality faces the risk of water scarcity, wildfires, cyclones, and landslides. 

More consideration needs to be given to water conservation for Huangshan to become resilient to increased drought hazards and prevent long-term water scarcity. Extreme weather phenomena, such as flooding, drought, or high temperatures, can also reduce labor productivity and damage production chains, slowing local economic growth. Other impacts include a reduction in both agricultural yields and availability of freshwater, associated public health consequences for the local population, and damage to species like the Huangshan pine tree. Climate change could also play a part in changes to the geographical distribution of species. For example, there are signs that warmer weather might lead to nematodes moving northwards (these worms naturally occur in soil and control soil insect pests). This would cause the spread of the pine wilt disease, resulting in death of more of Huangshan’s pine forests.

The Anhui Huangshan Xin'an River Ecological Protection and Green Development Project  is implementing an ecological protection and green development model designed for small and medium-sized cities or development areas. Through climate risk modelling, the project design considered Huangshan’s historical climate data, climate change trends and risks, and projected impacts. Risks were integrated into the engineering process, and a technical road map for the project was developed to mainstream the strategy and recommendations for tackling climate change impacts. Suitable mitigation and adaptation activities were identified by evaluating climate vulnerability and the costs of each option. These measures are elaborated on in the ongoing detailed design and construction stages of the project (Figure 1). 

Figure 1: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Measures under the Project

CO₂ = carbon dioxide, GHG = greenhouse gas.
Source: Cities Development Initiative for Asia. 2020. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Risk Management through Integrated Project Design. Manila.

Mitigation activities are at the forefront of project design and promote efforts to reduce, avoid, or sequester GHG emissions. These are aimed at decoupling development from fossil fuel–based consumption and creating a city with high green coverage, large water surface, and a comfortable living environment. 

Some key climate mitigation measures included in the Huangshan project are:

When the project is completed in 2026, its climate mitigation and other green initiatives will improve environmental conditions upstream and reduce, avoid, or sequester GHG emissions.

Better forest health 

Strengthened forest monitoring and disease prevention measures would reduce pine tree infection in the Huangshan area by 80%, which will then reduce the release of CO₂ into the atmosphere. This could save an estimated 18,428 pine trees annually. In 2018, 80% of the trees that died. The carbon sequestered would amount to 18,557 tons of CO₂. The pine forest disease prevention program is expected to provide carbon sequestration of close to 0.5 million tons of CO₂ over 25 years.

Improved wetlands with green features

The variation in the quantity of the GHG release is largely due to differences in the nature of the emitting vegetation, including soil microbiota, which interfere with the production and consumption of methane. Thus, the wetlands to be constructed under the Huangshan project along the Xin’an River in She County will have greener features that are set to improve anaerobic conditions and reduce the release of methane.

Improved wastewater quality 

Through improved water systems, total daily GHG emissions are predicted to fall by 5,026.5 tons of CO₂ equivalent.

Improved agricultural practices and productivity

Environment-friendly practices in green tea farming are expected to improve the productivity of croplands, reduce nonpoint source pollution, and increase biodiversity and carbon sequestration. In addition, the 10% reduction in chemical fertilizer usage in around 4,500 ha of tea farms would reduce GHG emissions by 23,333 tons CO₂equivalent per year.

Asian Development Bank (ADB). 2021. Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors: Proposed Loan to the People’s Republic of China for the Anhui Huangshan Xin’an River Ecological Protection and Green Development Project . Manila.

S. Fraser et al. 2017. Methodology Report: Updated for Think Hazard! Version 2. World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery: Washington, DC.

H. J. Laanbroek. 2010. Methane Emission from Natural Wetlands: Interplay between Emergent Macrophytes and Soil Microbial Processes. A Mini-Review. Annals of Botany. 105 (1). pp.141–153.