The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, convened by UNESCO every 10 years, is taking place from Sept 22 to 25 in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

Zhejiang's Huzhou, the sole city representative from China, shared its successful practices in ecological conservation at a sideline forum. The forum was on the synergies between climate change and biodiversity for the green development of biosphere reserves.

The conference, marking the first time that the decennial event is being held in Asia, is bringing together some 4,000 delegates from over 150 countries and regions to discuss ways to protect biosphere reserves and achieve sustainable development.

Huzhou, known as the birthplace of China's development concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", was conferred the titles of International Cooperation Demonstration Zone of Ecological Civilization and Biodiversity Charming City during the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022.

At the forum, Fan Xueliang, deputy director of Huzhou's ecology and environment bureau, highlighted the city's strategic policy support and integration of nature-based solutions in its urban planning — designed to protect biodiversity and the environment and promote its sustainable development.

Huzhou has conducted a comprehensive biodiversity survey, identifying 8,460 species. Since 2008, the population of the critically endangered bird — the crested ibis — has increased from 10 to 960 in the city.

The city has invested 3.58 billion yuan ($502.61 million) in ecological restoration projects in the past five years, promoting the integrated protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands.