A comprehensive think tank report titled "China-EU Cooperation on Environment and Climate: Progress and Prospects" was released globally on Friday, emphasizing the green partnership as a crucial engine for the comprehensive strategic relationship between China and the European Union (EU).
The report underscores the critical roles of China, the largest developing country, and the EU, the largest union of developed countries. It stresses their collective responsibility to enhance sustainable global practices through strengthened environmental and climate cooperation.
Comprising five sections, the report details joint efforts to build a community of all life on Earth, deepening bilateral cooperation to tackle climate change, substantial progress in ecological cooperation, and the steady advancement of long-term environmental and climate partnership.
Describing green as the distinctive color of China-EU cooperation, the report says that this cooperation not only strengthens their strategic partnership but also significantly advances environmental governance, trade, and investment, ultimately benefiting the global community.
Future strategies, as outlined in the report, include enhancing high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, establishing a long-term cooperation framework, and further promoting global environmental governance and climate action.
The report also advocates for bolstering the bilateral green partnership and building a community of all life on Earth, contributing to a cleaner and more beautiful world.
The report was jointly released by the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, the National Energy Conservation Center, the Xinhua Institute, and the Institutes of Science and Development under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
China-EU report calls for enhanced environmental, climate cooperation
L'Aventure du Sucre, or the Sugar Musem and Factory, in the African island country of Mauritius stands as one of the few museums in the world dedicated to the humble sugarcane.
Mauritius is renowned as a tropical paradise with its balmy climate, pristine beaches, and vibrant coral reefs. But sugar is what really makes this place tick -- it's the island's iconic calling card, deeply woven into the fabric of its identity.
The story of Mauritian sugar industry is one of colonial conquest and exploitation.
The Dutch brought sugarcane to the island's shores first, then the French sliced up the land into sugarcane plantations. It was the British who really started up large scale sugar production - shipping in over 450,000 laborers and supercharging sugar exports to Europe.
The museum used to be a sugar mill, and it preserves the machinery and equipment used in the once-simple sugar manufacturing process - from crushing the cane between rollers to extracting the sweet juice.
As technology advanced, large-scale equipment replaced manual labor, modernizing Mauritius' sugar production.
The museum boasts a rich collection of historical sugar products, from raw sugar and molasses to the diverse array of specialty sugars and rums produced on the island.
It also highlights the sustainable practices adopted by the industry, such as using sugarcane waste for renewable energy generation.
The sugarcane residue left over after extrusion by large equipment can reduce a lot of carbon dioxide emissions when it is used in power generation compared to coal.
The country started relevant research and development on producing electricity in sugarcane mills in 1991, and now the country derives around 60 percent of its electricity needs from the sugarcane residue, or bagasse, a testament to the industry's commitment to environmental sustainability.
Saturday marks this year's International Museum Day, with the theme being "Museums for Education and Research".
Sugar museum showcases bitter sweet Mauritian history
