A picture-perfect scenery has become an increasingly common sight at Erhai Lake in the city of Dali， Yunnan Province， thanks to efforts to improve its environment over the past few years. As the sunset glow reflects on the rippling water surface each afternoon， visitors and photographers follow the paths winding along the lakeside， accompanied by the chattering of black-headed gulls， looking for the best spot to capture the lake’s spectacular views.
　　Dubbed the “mother lake” by local residents， the ear-shaped body of water sits about 2，000 meters above sea level and covers an area of more than 250 square km. It reportedly attracted millions of tourists every year before the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
　　At the recent Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction， participating ecologists said Dali’s experiences in restoring Erhai’s ecology can be applied to the protection of lakes in other developing countries and is an example of China’s contributions to global ecological progress.
　　Taking place in Dali on October 9， the Erhai Forum is a supporting event of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity， also known as COP15， in Kunming， capital of Yunnan. It aimed to provide Chinese solutions and share the nation’s know-how to boost global efforts in ecological conservation.
　　Themed on Building an Ecological Civilization Together for a Beautiful Planet， the event attracted over 300 participants from China and abroad. Ecological civilization is China’s concept for instituting a form of global environmental governance that promotes harmony between human development and environmental protection， and responding to climate change.
　　In keeping with the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity， China will join hands with the international community to contribute to global environmental protection， Wan Gang， Vice Chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of China Association for Science and Technology， said at the opening ceremony via video link.
　　“Historic successes in eco-friendly development have demonstrated China’s experience in concurrently improving people’s wellbeing and environmental protection，”Du Zhanyuan， President of China International Publishing Group， said.
　　“Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic， the international community should pool its wisdom and foster both exchange and cooperation to forge synergy in sustainable development and eventually create a better world for all，” he added.

The Erhai case

　　Erhai became polluted with the onset of urbanization in the 1980s. As a result of the fast development of Dali tourism in the 1990s， hotels， guesthouses and restaurants mushroomed on the shores to accommodate a growing number of travelers， wors-ening the situation. With untreated sewage， garbage and animal waste discharged into the water， the lake was repeatedly plagued by major outbreaks of toxic blue-green algae in 1996， 2003 and 2013.
　　Alarmed by the deteriorating water quality， the local government has made improving Erhai’s ecological system a top priority. Following several previous programs， it launched a campaign in 2016 to address pollution and restore the lake’s environment， pouring in more than 20 billion yuan （$2.8 billion） over the past five years. More than 2，400 guesthouses and restaurants along the lakeside were closed down and sewage treatment facilities were upgraded. Blue and green algae treatment facilities and a plant that turns animal waste into organic fertilizer have also been put in place.
　　Since 2018， local authorities have established an environmental protection system for the lake—the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor—to protect it from being polluted and restore its natural ecosystem. The project also benefits the surrounding villages as they gain access to enhanced transportation.
　　The arduous efforts have paid off. In the first eight months of this year， the surface water quality of Erhai was graded Class II， according to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment. Surface water quality in China is divided into five classes， with Class I being the best.

　　“Our research shows that Erhai is now in a mesotrophic state， which is an intermediate stage in the improvement of water quality in many lakes. The process here provides an important reference for the improvement of other similar water systems，” Wang Xinze， chief researcher with the School of Environmental Science and Engineering， Shanghai Jiao Tong University， said at a sub-forum of the Erhai Forum.
　　“Increasing numbers of local people are becoming aware of the importance of a clean Erhai for a prosperous Dali. Sticking strictly to the guideline that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets in conserving the lake has become their consensus，”Yang Guozong， Secretary of the Communist Party of China Dali Prefectural Committee， told the forum. The concept was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping while illustrating China’s vision for global ecological civilization.

Proactive participation

　　Ecological improvement efforts in Dali and other places across the country are essential to China’s ecological conservation strategy.
　　The government of Yunnan has established multiple initiatives to protect biodiversity in recent years， and the province’s transformation is typical of ecological conservation success stories around China， according to Guo Weimin， President of the China Public Relations Association.
　　Official data show that more than 120 rescue and protection projects targeting plant species with extremely small populations have been implemented in Yunnan over the past five years， with 30 conservation zones already marked out. Through these projects and zones， Yunnan is effectively preserving and restoring rare and priority florae.
　　“As an active participant in international coop- eration on environmental protection and the battle against climate change， China has proactively implemented key UN conventions，” Guo said.
　　China and the rest of the world should work together to learn from one another and to better contribute to the global fight against climate change， he concluded.
　　Wang Linggui， Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences， said China has made great efforts in ecological management and played a key role in ecological progress worldwide.
　　“The Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN） region also faces serious challenges due to rapid deforestation， the extinction of wildlife species， and vulnerability to disasters，” Kung Phoak， Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community， said， adding that stronger support from key partners， including China， is needed to ensure more sustained efforts to preserve and restore ASEAN’s rich natural treasures.
　　According to Zhang Yongsheng， head of the Research Institute for Eco-civilization at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences， enhancing ecological sustainability is essential for common prosperity and the development of all countries. The global consensus and action on carbon neutrality marks the beginning of a new era in environmental progress， and the vision of a community with a shared future will materialize， he said. BR