We often think going paperless is eco-friendly—but is our digital life as green as we believe? Every email, file, and cloud service relies on data centers, and together they produce significant carbon emissions. This hidden impact is called digital pollution. In this episode of Climate Watch, Fei Fei explores how our everyday online habits affect the environment and speaks with Ian Chew, founder of Greenie Web, a Singapore-based startup working to clean up the digital world.

Are data centers just energy hogs — or the future of smart grids?

https://radio.cgtn.com/podcast/news/5/Are-data-centers-just-energy-hogs-or-the-future-of-smart-grids/2716184

China has released its first central government roadmap for the national carbon market, marking a turning point in the country’s climate policy. The plan sets out milestones to expand coverage across major emitting industries by 2027 and build a fully functional cap-and-trade system by 2030. In this episode, Fei Fei sits down with carbon market analyst Qin Yan to unpack what these targets mean in practice. We explore how China can boost the vitality of its carbon market, what challenges industries may face, and how the system could align with global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement.

In Quanzhou, oysters are more than food — they’re part of the local history. For centuries, oyster shells have been used to reinforce bridges, build storm-proof homes, and shape coastal life. This episode explores how 11th-century engineers employed oysters in the construction of the Luoyang Bridge, with insights from historians. We also hear from Professor Cai Lizhe of Xiamen University and Lin Jianyi from the Chinese Academy of Sciences on how oyster shells are used today to restore soils, filter water, and even cut carbon. From ancient ingenuity to modern climate action, discover how the humble oyster has sustained people and places.

Many extreme weather events are now occurring in ways that defy traditional understanding.

This year, extreme weather events have come one after another: record-breaking torrential rains, unprecedented heatwaves reaching 50 degrees Celsius and devastating wildfires raging in many parts of the world.

In this episode, Zhou Fang spoke with Professor Gao Xiaolu from Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture on these extreme weather events and China’s resilience in building against natural disasters.

We take a closer look at how China has been addressing these extreme weather events through early warning systems, urban planning and technological innovation among other areas.

We also discuss how the public can better respond to these events by raising awareness and taking more solid action.

What if the secret to protecting cities from floods, boosting biodiversity, and improving livelihoods was right outside our door? In this episode of Climate Watch, Fei Fei explores how China’s “Two Mountains" concept plays out in real life, visiting Quanzhou Bay — home to centuries-old ports and thriving mangroves, and beyond. Meet the researchers, fishermen, and city planners restoring these wetlands and discover why they’re vital for climate resilience. How can “lucid waters and lush mountains” truly be worth gold and silver? And what lessons can they offer for building greener, more resilient cities?

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What are the most promising technologies driving global decarbonization—and what’s holding them back? In this episode, Fei Fei speaks with Professor Wang Can from Tsinghua University about mainstream solutions, emerging innovations, and the roadblocks slowing progress. We also explore China’s strategy for cutting carbon emissions and where it still needs to catch up. This episode is part of The Climate Thinkers, a special series of conversations with leading researchers to explore the latest in green innovation—starting here in China and expanding outward to the world.

Climate has sounded new alarms this summer.

In just seven days, Beijing and Hebei were drenched by a year’s worth of rain. Meanwhile, temperatures in Henan, Sichuan, and Xinjiang have repeatedly soared past 40°C.

In today’s episode, we speak with Ma Jun, Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, about what these weather events reveal about climate change—and how we should respond.

As global temperatures rise and extreme weather becomes the new norm, climate cooperation between major powers is more crucial than ever. In this episode of Climate Watch, we focus on the latest China–EU summit held in Beijing—where climate stood out as a rare bright spot in a complex geopolitical agenda. Fei Fei speaks with Antoine Oger, Executive Director of the Institute for European Environmental Policy, to unpack what this high-level meeting means for global climate action. From carbon markets and methane emissions to new EU climate laws and China’s green innovation efforts, the conversation explores how the two sides can manage their differences and collaborate more deeply. Can China and the EU truly lead the world toward a low-carbon future?