SHENZHEN is endeavoring to make its ecological environment quality reach the level of that of an internationally advanced city by 2025, Chinese-language media reported yesterday quoting a plan drafted by the city’s ecological environment bureau.

It is stated in the plan that Shenzhen will ramp up efforts to make its ecological environment quality reach the world’s first-class standard by 2035 and make its paradigm on urban ecological environment governance play a leading role in the world by mid-century.

In order to accomplish the goals, the city will build itself into a benchmark city in ecological scenery and strive to realize the coordination of ecological resource protection and urban development by optimizing the use of land, systematically implementing ecological protection and restoration, and strengthening urban ecological supervision.

It also aims to become a benchmark city in clean air, low-carbon discharge and ecological environment treatment innovation, and make itself a zero-waste and livable city as well as a window on global exchange and cooperation on environmental protection.

Shenzhen was commended as a model city in national ecological civilization construction in October.

Five districts, specifically Nanshan, Bao’an, Longgang, Longhua and Guangming, were awarded the title of demonstration area in ecological civilization building.

The five districts, along with four other districts and Dapeng New Area that had won the title, enabled Shenzhen to be the only quasi-provincial-level city that has won the model city award in ecological civilization construction.

At an award ceremony held in Beijing, Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui said the city gives priority to ecological construction and has found its own path for sustainable development.

China experienced its greatest improvement in ecological and environmental protection from 2016 to 2020 after the completion of the main objectives and tasks outlined in the 13th Five-Year Plan, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of ecology and environment, said in October that the number of days with excellent or good air quality in 2020 nationwide is expected to reach 84.5 percent by the end of the year, comfortably meeting the goal as outlined in the plan.(Wang Jingli)