In November 2025, at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum and the C40 World Mayors Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the project “Building a Climate-Resilient Beijing Municipal Administrative Center” won the 2025 C40 Local Leaders Climate Award.

Recently, Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40, visited the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, capturing the city’s green development practices through his lens.

Beneath the Central Green Forest Park, a ground-source heat pump energy station provides cooling and heating for the Beijing Library, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre and the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing. Universal Beijing Resort is powered by 100% green electricity. At Beijing Library, hundreds of skylights bring in natural daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting. The newly completed Beijing Tongzhou Railway Station also uses green building technologies to maintain a comfortable indoor environment year-round. Watch the video and see Beijing’s green practices through Mark’s eyes.

“This is what progress looks like. Clean energy built into the places that people use on an everyday basis. Not someday in the future, but right now,” said Watts.