Chongqing- Chongqing aims to strengthen ecological and environmental protection, and promote the overall green transformation with "dual carbon" goals, as outlined in the government work report at Chongqing Two Sessions in 2022. 

"We will follow the government work report to better coordinate economic and social development, livelihood security, and ecological, environmental protection," said Wu Haisheng, Director of Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau. "Chongqing should fight the battle of pollution prevention and control, to synergistically promote high-quality economic development and high-level protection of the ecological environment."

Clean Up Yangtze River

In the past 2021, the water quality of the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River main stream was maintained excellent, with 98.6% of excellent water quality by 74 national test sections. The number of good air days reached 326, including 146 days rated 'excellent.' The quality of the soil environment was steadily improved, and the annual assessment of pollution prevention and control was excellent. 

Wu introduced that the city's ecosystem will strive to achieve breakthroughs focusing on key areas, such as water, atmosphere, and soil, with key indicators to control pollution. 

For example, in the water-management plan, Chongqing should strengthen the comprehensive management of the water environment in key rivers, and implement a refined inventory of urban drainage networks, to deeply promote the Yangtze River outfall improvement. 

"Dual carbon" goals 

The "dual carbon" goals refer to China's two climate goals announced by President Xi Jinping that China would reach its carbon emissions peak by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. 

In last year's National People's Congress, carbon emissions peak and carbon neutrality were written into the government work report for the first time. This year, the government of Chongqing proposes to formulate plans for "dual carbon" goals, to adjust and optimize the structure of energy, industry, transportation, and land use. 

In 2021, Chongqing actively built a green manufacturing system with 115 green factories and ten green industrial parks. The city's energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 19,4% in five years, while the carbon dioxide emissions per unit GDP dropped by 21.9%.

"Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau will promote emission reduction by improving the quality of the ecological environment and peaking carbon dioxide emissions," Wu said. "So as to facilitate the overall green transformation of economic and social development."

Likewise, Chongqing should deepen the series of pilot projects such as low-carbon and climate change adaptation and carry out a carbon-neutral demonstration to the country. Green buildings infrastructure, proposed by Deng Hua, Deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, could be one example. 

Pilot for climate investment and financing

In order to achieve low-carbon development goals, climate investment and financing are important aspects of green finance. It refers to activities that guide and promote more funds to be invested in climate change.

In deepening the ecological system reformation, the government work report pointed out that Chongqing should actively promote the national pilot for climate investment and financing, to support the Western Climate Investment and Financing Industry Promotion Center to become bigger and stronger. 

In the future, the pilot investment and financing for climate change can be effectively combined with green financial reform pilot zones, green low-carbon cities, low-carbon industrial parks, eco-industrial demonstration parks, near-zero carbon emissions demonstration zones, and carbon emission trading pilots. 

It will also promote the joint construction of waste-free cities in Sichuan and Chongqing, deepen the white list system of cross-provincial transfer of hazardous waste, and drive resource sharing for solid waste utilization and disposal facilities.