In the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the Chinese government reaffirmed its commitment to mitigating climate change by prioritizing clean energy development alongside economic growth and climate action. Rural regions, with their vast land and resources, play a crucial role in achieving these goals. Addressing rural challenges not only supports climate initiatives but also helps bridge the rural-urban development gap and promotes social equity.

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Wengding Village, an ancient Wa ethnic settlement in southern China, exemplifies these challenges. Isolated by its remote location and language barriers, Wengding remains one of China’s poorest villages. Today, most residents are children and the elderly, as younger generations leave for cities in search of work.

Government initiatives to improve Wengding — including a tourism development program in 2005 and a new housing project in 2012 — failed to yield sustainable results. Tragically, these efforts culminated in a catastrophic fire in 2021 that destroyed all of the village’s traditional grass and wooden dwellings. This disaster underscored the urgent need for long-term strategies that safeguard cultural heritage while supporting rural livelihoods.

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This project explores how sustainable rural revitalization can integrate traditional strengths while fostering collaboration among neighboring villages. Using Wengding as a case study, it proposes pathways to shared prosperity through green economies:

• Clean Energy Development: Utilizing renewable energy to power communities.

• Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting healthy food production while ensuring environmental stewardship.

• Carbon Trade Initiatives: Protecting forests to capture carbon, creating employment opportunities, and participating in carbon markets to offer jobs that attract and retain young people.

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By combining cultural preservation with green economy strategies, this project demonstrates how rural areas can contribute to national climate goals while addressing social and economic disparities. The lessons from Wengding Village offer a blueprint for revitalizing rural communities across China, ensuring they thrive while honoring their cultural heritage.