China, EU, Africa seek green cooperation using bamboo instead of plastic

BRUSSELS -- A forum on green industry cooperation between China, the European Union (EU), and Africa has underscored opportunities for technological collaboration and sustainable practices, particularly the use of bamboo as an alternative to plastic.

The forum, co-hosted on Thursday by the Chinese Mission to the EU and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization, focused on fostering joint efforts to promote ecological sustainability.

In his address, Cai Run, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, highlighted China's progress in green and low-carbon development, citing improvements in the country's energy structure and an increase in forest coverage. Cai positioned China as a production hub, Europe as a consumer market, and Africa as a resource developer, emphasizing the potential for collaboration across these regions.

Erik Solheim, co-chair of the Europe-Asia Center, noted that China accounts for two-thirds of new green energy projects globally and holds 60 percent of green energy technologies, including solar, wind, and electric vehicle batteries. Solheim, who previously served as under-secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), also emphasized the potential of bamboo as a sustainable alternative to plastic, which could be instrumental in reducing global plastic waste.

Former EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc commended China's commitment to bamboo research and innovation.

"China's collaboration with African countries has led to the creation of the China-Africa Bamboo Center," Bulc remarked, emphasizing the potential for joint efforts to promote global green development.

McArios Akanbeanab Akabong, acting head of Mission at the Embassy of Ghana in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU, highlighted China's support in establishing a National Bamboo and Rattan Centre in Ghana, facilitating technological transfers that have significantly advanced the bamboo industry in the country.

Michael Braungart, a professor of sustainable development at Leuphana University in Germany, pointed to bamboo's potential for air purification and its ability to mitigate microplastic pollution, encouraging further collaboration between Europe and China in environmental protection and economic development.

The "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic" initiative, launched by China in collaboration with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization, aims to reduce plastic pollution and promote ecological preservation.