China's green shift comes alive on screen

A documentary on the country's low-carbon transition, The Answer Is Earth, premiered on Wednesday.

The film follows actor Zhang Linghe, a former electrical engineering major, as he returns to his hometown in Jiangsu province to work alongside professionals at new energy sites, including an offshore booster station and a pumped storage power station.

Beyond showcasing cutting-edge technologies in the energy sector, the film highlights the expertise and dedication of front-line engineers and technicians.

Produced by Warner Bros. Discovery and the international environmental organization WildAid, the documentary explores how the shift to low-carbon living is quietly reshaping daily life.

Filmed across four cities, namely, Yancheng, Suzhou, Changzhou, and Wuxi, it offers a comprehensive look at how green electricity is generated, stored and deployed, and how the energy integrates with the circular economy.

Yu Chong, chief representative of WildAid's Beijing office, said the idea for the documentary grew out of the nation's dual-carbon goals announced in 2020.

"We hope the film showcases the green opportunities created by these goals and helps viewers see how they can play their part," Yu said.

"We had been looking for storytellers and participants with a personal connection to the low-carbon transition. Zhang's academic background and social influence make him the ideal choice. From an international perspective, climate action has no borders, but every country needs its own storytellers. China's green practices offer important lessons for global climate governance."

In the context of global green development, China has developed effective low-carbon transition practices and has provided a replicable model for the world.

At the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Summit, China announced its latest round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): by 2035, economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by seven to 10 percent below their peak level, the share of non-fossil energy consumption will exceed 30 percent, and the total installed capacity of wind and solar power will reach more than six times that of 2020. These goals underscore the country's unwavering resolve that the energy transition is not only necessary but imperative.

"It's Earth Day today. Starting with 'one thing', a small act of love for the planet, we aim to engage everyone from their own perspective in concrete, genuine public actions, rather than reducing public welfare to an empty concept or slogan," said Wang Ning, vice-president of Warner Bros. Discovery.