On 17 March 2025, Eva Sternfeld and Michaela Boehme from DCZ visited Jinpoluo Village in Miyun District, Beijing’s first “Zero Carbon Village”. They were joined by international nature restoration experts and Friederike Dörfler, the German Agriculture Counselor from the German Embassy in Beijing. The visit, coordinated by local project manager Liang Qing and international cooperation advisor Lucy Jiang, offered valuable insights into China’s ongoing efforts to meet its dual carbon goals—reaching peak emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
Zero carbon village
Jinpoluo’s transition to a zero-carbon village began in 2016, led by the Beijing Low-Carbon Agriculture Association. Initially a grassroots project, it has evolved into a model for energy transition in rural China, with support from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA). By 2027, the village aims to achieve a negative CO₂ balance by reducing emissions and increasing carbon storage.
The village works closely with experts from the Beijing Rural Economic Research Center and the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture to develop a reliable method for carbon footprint tracking. A recent white paper outlines their methodology and provides guidance for similar projects.
Key initiatives
During the visit, the delegation explored several key initiatives in Jinpoluo:
- Carbon footprint tracking: The village tracks emissions across multiple sectors, including agriculture, energy, waste, and transportation.
- Sustainable agriculture: Practices such as organic farming, composting, and tree planting are helping to improve soil health and create carbon sinks in the rural landscape.
- Eco-tourism: The village’s growing tourism sector—featuring homestays, glamping, and an English garden—is funding sustainability projects and promoting eco-friendly practices.
Challenges
Despite the progress, energy supply remains the largest source of emissions in Jinpoluo, underscoring the challenges of decarbonizing rural energy systems. However, the village continues to make strides in reducing emissions in various sectors.
Prospects
Tracking and measuring carbon is not only about emission reductions; it also holds potential to boost rural income. For instance, the introduction of a zero-carbon label for agricultural products could help local farmers earn higher prices. Additionally, once agricultural soils are integrated into China’s national carbon trading scheme, the village could tap into carbon trading as a new revenue stream.
With an average age of 42 and approximately 300 children living in Jinpoluo, the village has a relatively young demographic compared to other rural areas. As the environment improves and low-carbon initiatives create new business opportunities, there is a growing trend of urban returnees—young entrepreneurs from cities returning to rural life.
China’s rural carbon strategy
Jinpoluo is part of a broader national effort to foster low-carbon agriculture in China’s rural regions. At the 2022 Rural Work Conference, carbon-neutral agriculture was identified as a critical element of China’s Dual Carbon strategy.
In January 2023, the Beijing Office for Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a plan to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration in Beijing’s agricultural and rural areas, which includes pilot projects for zero-carbon villages. In 2024, MARA published guidelines to accelerate the green transformation of agricultural development and promote ecological revitalization in rural areas, emphasizing value creation and emission reductions through carbon sequestration.
Currently, many regions in China are actively developing initiatives for “Zero Carbon Villages”, making this an important area to watch as the country works to implement its carbon goals.
