Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

HANGZHOU — As he wound his way through campus on a shared bike to collect his undergraduate admission notice, He Youjing may well have recalled the sunny afternoon that changed the trajectory of his life.

It was in 2022, just after he had enrolled at Jinhua University of Vocational Technology in Zhejiang province, that the then 18-year-old He chose to pursue a newly introduced elective course on green skills.

In the first class the teacher asked him what he thought green skills were. He vaguely replied "picking rubbish" — an answer that sparked laughter from his classmates. It was then that he realized just how little he knew about the subject.

Green skills refer to the knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

Since 2021, the China office of the United Nations Children's Fund has collaborated with the Ministry of Education to integrate green skills into vocational education. By the end of last year, the initiative had been implemented in 13 vocational institutions across six provincial-level regions, with more than 20,000 students enrolled in related courses.

Initially choosing to study medicine due to his father's illness, He soon recognized the significance of environmental protection through his green skills lessons.

Six months later, he was recommended to join a research team in his school. He spent another six months developing an exhaust treatment material, namely a rhenium-zinc absorbent liquid — targeting carbon dioxide emissions from small and medium-sized enterprises.

This experience reshaped his career aspirations. When considering his bachelor's degree options, he ended up choosing chemical engineering.

"I wanted to continue my research to reduce the cost of rhenium-zinc absorbent liquid, so that it could be widely used," he said.

Green skills are seen as critical in a world struggling with the impact of global warming.

Du Wei, a UNICEF education officer, said, "We aim to empower young people with the skills to address the challenges of the climate crisis and the emerging green economy."

China has set its dual carbon goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", and considerable efforts have been made in China to achieve sustainable development.