The United Nations plans to establish a low carbon economy development center in Tianjin to facilitate the northern China industrial city's progress in exploring a new green growth model.

Khalid Malik, Resident Representative of the UN Development Program in China, announced the plan when he visited Tianjin on Thursday.

Malik, heading a UN delegation, said the UNDP hopes to work closer with Tianjin municipality on low carbon economy, clean energy and clean production

Experts say the center will help Tianjin join the UN's global cooperation network on low carbon economy.

Malik spoke highly of the municipality's efforts in cutting carbon emissions when he held talks with local officials.

Tianjin's economy is developing rapidly while carbon emissions are being kept at a low level, according to Malik.

Tianjin aims to be a pilot area in developing green economy in China. The country’s first climate exchange, Tianjin Climate Exchange (TCX), was founded in 2008. TCX is designed to be a platform for environmental finance and establish market-based mechanisms to environmental management and natural resource protection, according to the State Council.

China's first domestic carbon trading market will also be launched within the next year in Tianjin, Gao Zhengqi, general manager of TCX, told China Business News on Monday.

By Guo Changdong