HANGZHOU -- China's experience in green development has shown that you can have your cake and eat it too, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim told Xinhua this week.

"We can develop the economy while protecting and enhancing the natural environment at the same time," Solheim, who is also co-chair of the Europe-Asia Center, said on the sidelines of the 2025 Green Low-Carbon Innovation Conference in Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province.

Aimed at fostering global cooperation on green innovation, the conference brought together nearly 300 scientists, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the birth of the "two mountains" concept, which holds that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," the event underscored the idea's significance in advancing ecological civilization, accelerating green transformation and improving global ecological governance.

"While Zhejiang has grown into a prosperous region, it has also managed to protect its local natural environment, becoming a province full of green," Solheim said. "It is truly remarkable to see the dual benefits that such a concept can bring."

Yucun village — the birthplace of the "two mountains" concept — is located in southwestern Huzhou. Earlier, limestone processing for cement manufacture used to be the source of livelihood for Yucun residents. But, that came with a cost for the locals — they had to reel under dusty air and heavy pollution. By the early 2000s, the villagers made up their minds to shut down cement factories to save the environment.

During an inspection tour to Yucun in August 2005, Chinese President Xi Jinping, then Party chief of Zhejiang, spoke highly of the village's wise move to shut down mines, and put forward the "two mountains" concept that has now become a guiding principle in ecological progress nationwide.

Thanks to the adoption of the concept and active efforts, the once heavily-polluted village now enjoys tourism boom, which has become the main source of income for locals.

People at the conference in Huzhou, who came from various parts of the world, reached a consensus: China's experience has shown that economic growth does not need to come at the expense of the environment.

"The speed at which China is rolling out new technologies — not only to clean up the environment but also to reduce its impact — is simply remarkable," said Llorenc Mila i Canals, head of the UN Environment Programme's Life Cycle Initiative Secretariat. "That is the real transformation."

"Many outside the country still picture China as heavily polluted, but that's a chapter long closed," he said. "Seeing with your own eyes how much the environment has improved is something that truly deserves recognition."

Conference participants noted that China's environmental turnaround is not only about technology but also about policy, community engagement and long-term planning.

The "two mountains concept" has guided villages, cities and provinces toward greener practices, demonstrating that development and conservation can advance hand in hand.

"We are not selling a Chinese solution, but letting the world witness the changes taking place in China. And we are ready to share and promote these practices to countries and regions around the world where conditions allow," said Jiao Nianzhi, chair of the UN's Global-ONCE international science program.

"When genuine action is being taken around the world, that's when this concept has been sparked. And once that spark spreads across the globe, we will be far better equipped to confront climate change and other global crises," Jiao said.

The concept resonates particularly keenly with the world's young leaders and innovators, who are seen as the driving force of sustainable development.

Ibeakamma Ugochinyere, a Nigerian student who has been studying at Zhejiang Normal University for nine years, has witnessed China's rapid development and environmental transformation firsthand.

She told Xinhua that the "two mountains" concept has had a lasting impact on her global perspective. "This concept has taught me that countries should look beyond geopolitical divides," she said. "By working together across borders, we can collectively advance sustainable development goals."

Two decades after the concept was first proposed, its influence continues to shape both local landscapes and the way the world envisions a greener, more sustainable future.