In China, the number of hikers, climbers and nature enthusiasts has boomed in the wake of the Covid pandemic. And it's not just about leisure travel: Following years of fast economic growth and the rapid expansion of megacities, a new generation of Chinese professionals and business leaders are taking action to accelerate the transition to sustainable business models, while also raising awareness about the manmade dangers threatening natural environments and rural communities.

In this episode of On Thin Ice, host Paolo Bosonin speaks with Vivian Han, a former corporate executive who became the first Chinese woman to climb Everest both from Tibet and Nepal, and Lena Yang, head of Women’s Wear Daily China and other publications, who has fostered greener supply chains in the fashion and beauty industries through a number of projects.

The guests share their lessons and experiences in respective initiatives, including Lena’s championing of ESG investing despite a tricky financial environment, and Vivian’s fundraising efforts to provide scholarships for high school girls in less developed areas of China, as tourism brings economic opportunities and environmental challenges to communities around the country.

On Thin Ice is produced by Iceworm Media, in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to ballypeakoutlook.org/ to learn more about the foundation's mission to safeguard the world's most fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism.

Production credits:

Script editor and editorial advisor: Dave Vetter

Video and audio editor: Canyon James Coleman-Mcdowall

Original music: Nadir Cassim

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