Beijing policies to encourage green travel

The Beijing Municipal Transport Commission announced policies to encourage residents to use green travel on Tuesday at the Sixth World Metropolitan Transport Development Forum, a part of the China International Fair for Trade in Services.

When residents in Beijing use buses, subways and bikes to go out, or walk with navigation apps, they can get "carbon energy" based on the carbon emissions they have reduced via green traveling. That "carbon energy" can be exchanged into coupons for public transportation and shopping.

Beijing is the first among cities in China to adopt such ways to encourage green traveling, according to the commission. The "carbon energy" also can be used for public charities, such as tree planting.

"It is meaningful to bring everyone into carbon emission reduction action, which has set an example for other areas in the country," said Guo Jifu, head of the Beijing Transport Institution, at the forum.