At noon on April 19, 2024, the Agricultural Economics Forum and the 70th Anniversary of the Department/20th Anniversary of the School series lecture was held in Room 931 of the Mingde Main Building. Assistant Professor Annah L. Zhu from Wageningen University in the Netherlands delivered an academic lecture titled “China’s Ecological Approaches in the Global South: Building a ‘Global Ecological Civilization’ with Nature-Based Solutions.” The lecture was hosted by Assistant Professor Wang Weiye from the school, and attended by students and faculty from both within and outside the university.

Starting with the context of building a global ecological civilization, Annah L. Zhu introduced China’s practices and impacts in promoting Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in the Global South. She analyzed how China utilizes these solutions in environmental diplomacy through South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, and explored the similarities and differences in the application of this concept domestically and internationally. Nature-Based Solutions are defined as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously benefiting people and nature.”

Following this, Annah L. Zhu outlined three models of China’s promotion of Nature-Based Solutions in the Global South: triangular cooperation, multilateral and bilateral scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange, and infrastructure greening activities. She provided an overview of related projects in Africa. Finally, Annah L. Zhu summarized the motivations and potential impacts of China’s promotion of Nature-Based Solutions in the Global South, emphasizing that NBS is a crucial way for China to export its environmental experiences and holds significant potential for advancing the vision of ecological civilization globally.