The Delegation of the European Union to China hosted the closing event of the Sustainability Tour 2024, a campaign celebrating EU-China cooperation projects in sustainability.

The Sustainability Tour 2024 presented examples of green transition in China that positively impact people's lives. Invited by the EU Delegation, four vloggers traveled across China to visit 16 EU-China cooperation projects and participate in 4 events aimed at promoting environmental friendly practices. The Sustainability Tour passed by 14 locations in 12 provinces and municipalities in China. The collaborative spirit of European and Chinese partners stood out in the production of this campaign, which involved nearly 300 people from various organizations. Key contributors included the European Union, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU Member States in China, EU-funded projects and local projects partners.

European Union, 2024

At the closing event, EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo stressed that addressing climate change is urgent: “Inaction cannot be an option: it costs human lives and it is much more costly than action. We need to speed up and substantially increase global climate action.” Furthermore, he noted important role of the EU and China in global efforts: “at a time when all countries are gathered in Baku but the outcome of the COP remains uncertain, I would like to call upon China to work closely with the EU. On climate finance, China can be a game-changer for global efforts.” (Follow the link to read the full speech)

European Union, 2024

The Sustainability Tour 2024 campaign produced a total of 100 social media posts, 10 blogs and 21 video episodes, among other content. Videos and articles of the Sustainability Tour 2024 reached more than 40 million social media users on Weibo, WeChat, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Toutiao, and Bilibili, opening room for discussion on international collaboration and impact of green transition projects.

Two of the four vloggers involved, Xiaoyu and Sunfengren, joined the closing event to show memorable moments and stories from their journeys. They expressed how rewarding the experience had been and feel excited to join more activities promoting sustainability. For them, the Sustainability Tour 2024 also provided an opportunity to ride through China’s diverse landscapes. Either from quieter rural roads to busting city routes, each episode of the Tour showcased how EU-China cooperation is making a difference in sustainability.

Following a recap of the campaign’s events and memorable moments, guests participated in eco-friendly activities, including a second-hand items swap, a bicycle-powered popcorn maker and a lucky wheel to test their knowledge of environment protection.

The Sustainability Tour 2024 proves that the EU and China maintain very practical collaboration on environment protection, fight against climate change, biodiversity, and other areas of green transition. The EU and China are two important world players, whose collaboration is critical to address world challenges, and our partnership is essential for advancing sustainable solutions.

More information about this campaign, as well as photos, vlogs and articles are available on the website of the EU Delegation to China: Sustainability Tour 2024.