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A green travel platform called Green Mobility has gone online in Beijing to encourage car users to help protect air quality by choosing public transport systems and gaining carbon credits.
Through registration and on-board devices, the emission reduction data of car users is uploaded to the network and recorded using blockchain.
"Then, the data will be processed accordingly into carbon credits. Users can withdraw them in digital cash (and) do public good, said Tao Lan, director of Beijing Environment Exchange. This includes planting trees, exchanging gifts or topping up their mobiles, he added.
June 5 was the United Nations' World Environment Day. This year, a silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic has been reports of improving environmental conditions around the world due to reduced human activities.
Beijing was once plagued by severe air pollution but efforts have been made to change this.
In 2018, vehicle emissions accounted for up to 52 percent of urban PM 2.5 air particles in China. But in 2019, the government rolled out its sixth vehicle emission standards, which are among of the world's strictest. It also issued a four-year action plan to promote green travel.
The initiators of Green Mobility said that public awareness is important.
"We all know green travel is based on public transport. But we lack a motivation mechanism. This is the first time we have linked people and companies together," said Jiang Nanqing, director of Beijing Green Inclusive, a green travel promotion company.
"It will be achieved through the carbon trade market and rewards will be paid by participating companies. So environmental contributions and benefits are made at the same time,"said Du Shaozhong, vice president of the All-China Environment Federation.
Green Mobility hopes to attract one million car users to try this first in Chinese capital where there are six million registered vehicles. If it is successful the scheme will be promoted in other cities.
Government action may be the most powerful, but programs such as this can also contribute to China's campaign to clean up its skies, waters and soil.
(Cover image: A driver uses Green Mobility on a smartphone in his car. /CGTN)
