Global South faces sustainable growth opportunities

Bamboo covers more than 50 million hectares worldwide, an area that is about as large as Spain, and the majority in the global south offers considerable potential for sustainable development.

According to the United Nations environmental program, the world produces 400 million tons of plastic waste every year. Unfortunately, only a small part of plastic waste is recycled, with the majority ending on landfill or oceans and represents serious ecological threats.

In November 2022, the Chinese government and the International Organization for Bambus and Rattan (Inbar) together started the “bamboo as a replacement for plastic” initiative in order to achieve the advantage of bamboo in reducing plastic pollution and the UN 2030 agenda for one to reduce sustainable development.

“Bamboo's unique physical and chemical properties as well as its ecological advantages make it a versatile material that can be converted for a variety of applications, including cutlery, packaging, furniture and construction, fibers, pellets, cell material and blocks,” said Lu ” Wenming, Deputy General Director of Inbar.

“Bamboo resources therefore have the potential to replace non -degradable plastic and polymers on a petroleum basis that are associated with high pollution and energy consumption.”

Estimates suggest that the use of 100 million tons of bamboo as a replacement of PVC products (polyvinyl chloride) could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 600 million tons annually. In addition, the carbon emissions connected to bamboo processing are minimal – only 30 kilograms per ton – what 1/206. that of steel, 1/220. The of aluminum, 1/41, which is from cement and 1/11 of plastic.

So far, over 10,000 different bamboo products have been developed worldwide. Its potential as an alternative green, low -carbon and biodegradable material was recognized by the international community.

The International Organization for Standardization recently approved the global standard for bamboo drinking hall and marked the first ISO standard for bamboo as a plastic alternative.

Chinese bamboo products, including tableware and furniture, were exported to markets in Europe, North and South America and Asia.

Bamboo products have also made a name for themselves in global construction projects. The internal upper limit of Terminal 4 at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas in Spain consists of bamboo materials, which were developed by a Chinese bamboo material company that was developed.

The curved bamboo blanket, which was installed in 2004, is not only stable, but also meets the requirements for the fire brigade and, according to the company, has remained in good condition for over two decades.

Significant progress has been made in bamboo processing under the Chinese government and inbar initiative. “Fully automated drilling machines are now used to produce bamboo -straws, and we have also made remarkable progress in the development of bent bamboo straws,” said Lu.

According to LU, Inbar carried out research on bamboo resources, production and markets in African countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana and Cameroon to support further studies on the potential of using bamboo as a replacement for plastic.

Cooperation in the replacement of plastic with bamboo is also emphasized in Chinese-African cooperation, since the Action Plan (2025-27) is listed in the forum for China Africa Cooperation in the forum for China Africa Cooperation.

According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, training programs for bamboo forest management and the development of the bamboo product were carried out between China and African countries.

This cooperation introduced Chinese bamboo types and technologies in Africa, which promotes sustainable poverty control by promoting the growth of the bamboo industry.