Baotou was announced as a newly designated "Cities with Nature" on Oct 27 at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Cali, Colombia.

Baotou is listed as Cities with Nature at the COP16 on Oct 27. [Photo/Baotou news network]

This prestigious recognition celebrates Baotou's strides in creating a modern city that flourishes in harmony with nature. It illuminates the city's unique approach to sustainable development on the global stage.

The COP16, which began on Oct 20, was convened to safeguard biodiversity and sustainably utilize natural resources.

One of the main highlights of COP16 was the Cities with Nature initiative, held within the Global Summit of Local and Subnational Governments. The initiative honors cities with outstanding achievements in biodiversity conservation and aims to accelerate the implementation of global biodiversity goals.

By being named one of the Cities with Nature, Baotou joins an esteemed roster of 57 other international cities, including Paris, Seattle, Berlin, Bogotá, and Yokohama, along with 19 Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Ordos.

A bird's-eye view of green Baotou. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Baotou has been stepping up efforts to protect the ecology and environment in recent years.

The city has undertaken several measures to improve the reserve's ecosystems, including converting farmland back to wetlands, restoring bird habitats, eliminating pollution sources, and initiating water management and ecological restoration projects for Nanhaizi Lake.

These efforts have expanded the wetland area by more than 900 hectares and greatly strengthened biodiversity.

Nanhai Wetland has become a bird paradise, with the number of bird species increasing from 70 to 232, including 49 national key protected species. It attracts numerous tourists and photographers daily.