Chongqing - Ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, the Chongqing Municipal Government announced the 2024 Beautiful Chongqing Construction Action Plan on May 31. The plan aims to maintain over 90% of days with excellent air quality by 2027.

The Three Gorges Reservoir Area in Chongqing. (Photo/Xie Zhiqiang)

Chen Wei, member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, outlined the city's ambition to establish a high-standard, comprehensive "zero-waste city." 

This initiative aims to reduce solid waste and maximize resource use by promoting green production and lifestyles. Strategies include minimizing excessive packaging in delivery services, implementing waste sorting, and enhancing recycling of materials like cardboard.

By 2027, the plan aims to establish over 5,000 waste-free communities, schools, factories, and other facilities. Efforts will focus on effective waste classification, promoting household waste incineration, and enhancing kitchen waste resource utilization.

A campaign to reduce "white pollution" is also underway, advocating for adopting alternatives to plastic products and reducing the usage of disposable plastic items in hotels and supermarkets. 

A compensated collection system for waste agricultural plastic film will also be established. By 2025, the city aims for zero landfilling and full incineration of household waste, transforming more solid waste into valuable resources.

Chongqing has made significant progress in biodiversity conservation, successfully breeding and reintroducing species like the giant panda and discovering four new global species, earning widespread acclaim.

The city will extend its ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, implement major biodiversity projects, and establish 100 observation points by 2027. These efforts aim to keep key national wildlife protection rates above 90%, fostering harmony between humanity and nature.

As a leader in green and low-carbon development, Chongqing aims to achieve high-quality growth by expanding green industries like photovoltaics and wind power, transforming resources into energy.

Chongqing plans to convert new and renewed public buses and taxis to electric ones in the central urban area by prioritizing new energy vehicles. By 2027, over 55% of these fleets will be fully electric. The city also aims to establish 420 green factories and 35 green industrial parks by then.

Chen noted that Chongqing has maintained excellent air quality for 325 days annually, surpassing 320 days for the fourth consecutive year, with no severe pollution days recently.

To maintain excellent air quality over 90% of the days by 2027, Chongqing will implement targeted measures for key industries, supporting comprehensive management and ultra-low emissions in steel, cement, glass, and ceramics. Emissions from 120 cement enterprises in Sichuan and Chongqing will also be coordinated to stagger emissions.

Chongqing: Zero-Waste City, Green Future. (Graphics/Chen Yuting)