China's Blue Bay Restoration Initiative was named a 2026 United Nations World Restoration Flagship on Thursday in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, highlighting international recognition of China's achievements in marine ecological protection and restoration.
The announcement was made at the "Restoration Day" event during the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP17.
Led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Finance, the initiative is the second nationwide program from China to receive the honor, following the Shan-Shui Initiative, which was among the first global flagships in 2022. The achievement makes China the first country to have two nationwide actions recognized as World Restoration Flagships.
The World Restoration Flagship, jointly established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization, is a global recognition under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, highlighting large-scale restoration projects that are exemplary, representative and globally influential. In this round, initiatives from Colombia, Ethiopia, Italy and the United States were also honored.
At the awarding ceremony, Raimund Jehle, deputy regional representative for Europe and Central Asia at the Food and Agriculture Organization, underscored the importance of healthy coastal ecosystems for biodiversity, food security and people's livelihoods.
"Healthy coastal ecosystems support fisheries, protect communities and strengthen resilience to climate change. Their restoration requires us to work across the boundaries between land and sea and across sectors and institutions," Jehle said.
"China's Blue Bay Initiative demonstrates the value of this integrated approach, bringing together ecological restoration, coordinated governance and public investment," he added.
Building on the experience of the Yundang Lake restoration in Xiamen, Fujian province, coastal regions across China have advanced integrated land-sea management and marine ecological restoration on a large scale.
During the 13th (2016-20) and 14th Five-Year Plan periods (2021-25), China's central government allocated 36.63 billion yuan ($5.5 billion) to coastal provinces for the implementation of 194 major marine ecological restoration projects. This led to the restoration of more than 150,000 hectares of coastal wetlands, the management of Spartina alterniflora, an invasive cordgrass species, and the rehabilitation of more than 2,000 kilometers of coastline.
Zhong Chongjun, deputy director-general of the ministry's department of territorial space ecological restoration, said the recognition demonstrates full acknowledgment from the international community of China's practical achievements in marine ecological protection and restoration.
"The 194 major marine ecological restoration projects have effectively improved the quality and stability of key marine ecosystems, raised the level of biodiversity conservation, expanded quality coastal access for the public, enhanced coastal disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, and strengthened the marine ecological security barrier," Zhong said. "Thanks to sustained efforts, China's mangrove area has increased to 31,700 hectares, making the country one of the few in the world where mangrove coverage is continuously expanding," he added.
Wang Lei, director-general of the department, described the selection as both "an honor and a responsibility".
"We will take this as a new start, continuing to implement actions for blue bays, beautiful shorelines and harmonious islands," Wang said.
He emphasized the focus on improving the quality and function of key marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass beds, and coastal salt marshes. The goal is to deliver more ecological restoration outcomes that enhance livelihoods, boost employment and income, and foster a new development paradigm of harmony between humanity and the sea.
"We stand ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with all countries, share our experience, build global consensus, jointly advance the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and work hand in hand to safeguard our blue planet," Wang said.
Editor：Zhou Jinmiao
