China claims most spots on World Economic Forum's latest "lighthouse" manufacturers list

China claimed most spots in the latest batch of global "lighthouse" manufacturers issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), showing the country's significant progress in the green and high-tech transformation of its manufacturing sector.

The WEF, along with consulting firm McKinsey, launched the Global Lighthouse Network in 2018 to identify manufacturers that are actively pushing toward the "fourth industrial revolution" by pursuing high efficiency, intelligence and green technologies.

A total of 22 manufacturing enterprises from ten countries joined the network in the recently released list of additions. Of these, 13 are Chinese factories, marking a historic high.

As of now, the total number of lighthouse factories worldwide has risen to 172, of which 74, or 43 percent of the total are from China.

Several of the additions are industry-firsts for the network, including the list's first nuclear power firm, the first coal mining machinery manufacturer, and the first rail transit equipment manufacturer.

Three of the 22 new additions are "sustainability lighthouses", each of which are Chinese enterprises.

Through the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as process innovations, these firms have reduced direct or indirect carbon emissions by over 20 percent, leading the world.

Generative AI, machine learning and other digital technologies were the key words in selecting this batch of lighthouses, according to the WEF, which estimated that the newly enlisted manufacturers have enhanced production efficiency by an average of 50 percent.

Central China's SANY Renewable Energy, a global provider of comprehensive wind power solutions, made the list after implementing swaths of AI and intelligent automation solutions on its factory floors.

Facility managers can monitor the real-time operation and the production parameters at various links through a small tablet PC.

"From the tablet computer, we can see the parameters of each production unit, from temperature and humidity to torque, and to the grinding fineness of the blades. All the data are provided to us in a comprehensive way to enable us to conduct real-time monitoring and delicacy management," said Peng Haibing, a manager of a SANY factory.

Wind turbine blades directly affect the performance and reliability of a wind power generation unit, whose cost accounts for 20 to 30 percent of the total cost of the unit.

The company has built a digital platform featuring the latest AI technologies to control the whole production process.

"This is a pioneering technology in our industry, which turns the 80,000-square-meter physical factory into a virtual one, with data about the overall structure and all the details of the factory. It is a benchmark technology in the wind turbine blade manufacturing sector," Peng said.

Through robots and laser-guiding technologies, the factory has achieved automatic operation at various links, including the grinding of blade surfaces, painting, and materials distribution. This has reduced the product defect rate by 20 percent and shortened the delivery time by over 30 percent.

Since the Global Lighthouse Network was launched, it has released 12 waves of additions. China has often topped the list and has seen at least two of its manufacturers added in each wave.

China claims most spots on World Economic Forum's latest "lighthouse" manufacturers list

Switzerland, known for its pristine lakes and rich tradition of fishing, is facing a significant challenge of plunging fish stocks that could threaten the livelihood of many in the fisheries industry.

In recent years, local fishermen have seen their catches decline drastically, with about 90 percent of the fish consumed in the country now being imported. This shift reflects broader environmental changes impacting Swiss fisheries, and the difficulties local fishermen are enduring are becoming more evident each year.

At seven in the morning, as the first light of dawn begins to break, a handful of fishermen at a dock in Geneva prepare to head out to the lake to check the nets they set the previous day. As the long nets were hauled from the water, the catch of perch was relatively small, but the fishermen were still satisfied, especially since they managed to net two large pike, which would fetch a good price.

Francois Liani, a fisherman of 30 years, said 2024 has been the worst year for fishing with the lowest amount of catch.

"I have never seen anything like this in over 30 years. That's right, 2024 is the worst year in the past 30 years," he said.

Fifty years ago, there were more than 800 professional fishermen in Switzerland. Today, that number has dropped to fewer than 90.

"There are many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is global warming -- it is one of the biggest problems. We have also new mussels that come from the Black Sea on the Eastern Europe that came about five, seven years ago. They have a large impact on the food availability for the fishes," said Maxime Prevedello, communication officer for the French-speaking region of the Swiss Fishing Federation (SFV).

As a result, the growth rate of fish has slowed significantly. In 2012, 2013, and 2014, a professional fisherman was able to catch around 1,000 tons of fish annually. Today, that number has dropped to just around 100 tons -- a mere one-tenth of what it used to be, according to Prevedello.

In the summer of 2024, Switzerland once again endured high temperatures. Native fish species such as perch, grayling, and the Alpine char, which have adapted to cold water, have been particularly affected. According to Switzerland's environmental authorities, 58 percent of the country's native fish species are now classified as endangered.

Swiss fishermen face growing struggle as local fish stocks plunge