Qiong Wu's Climate Chronicles

China is putting its students to work this summer as climate ambassadors to spread the word about climate change and what people can do to stop it.

Through a new training program called “One Thousand Environment-Friendly Youth Ambassadors Action,” eight Chinese ministries, along with the UNDP, hope to educate 1 million people about the actions they can take to preserve the environment and limit climate change.

The program started last month with training for 1,000 high school and college students in Beijing (north China), Shanghai (east), Xi’an (northwest), Chengdu (southwest) and Guangzhou (south).

Each young ambassador is expected to train another 1,000 people, hence one million people around the nation will be informed of professional environmental knowledge.

In an effort to enlist more citizens and businesses in the fight against climate change, China has established its first Urban Low Carbon Institute in the city of Baoding, Hebei.

The institute, led by the city's mayor, was launched two weeks ago by a mix of companies, renewable energy experts and social organizations with two goals: publicizing the importance of a low-carbon lifestyle and helping companies implement eco-friendly strategies to save energy and protect the environment.

Baoding, at the heart of China's “Electric Valley,” has been building a reputation as a center of new energy development in China. Its North China Electric Power University and high-tech development zones support some of the country’s most successful renewable energy companies, as well as research and development.

Mayor Qun Yu says the city has made great strides toward encouraging solar and wind power develop and building an eco-friendly “solar energy city.” In addition, Baoding is one of 21 demonstration cities for LED lighting that aim to reduce 10 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Still, China's government sees a need to do more to publicize the importance of reducing carbon emissions.

The results of a recent survey of students and young professionals conducted by the British Council and the mainstream website sohu.com help explain why: