Focusing on six key areas, this is how Sichuan and Chongqing will advance ecological and environmental protection in 2022.

Focusing on six key areas, this is how Sichuan and Chongqing will advance ecological and environmental protection in 2022.

2022-05-20

On May 19, Cover News learned from the Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau that the "Key Work Points for Promoting Joint Ecological Construction and Environmental Protection in the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle in 2022" have recently been issued and implemented. According to these key work points, in 2022, Sichuan and Chongqing will jointly complete 32 key tasks across six areas, including jointly promoting green transformation and collaboratively tackling cross-border pollution, thereby continuing to intensify efforts to protect the ecological environment in the Sichuan-Chongqing region.

Chengdu-Chongqing Dual-City Economic Circle

Optimize industrial and energy structures to jointly promote a green transition.

“This year, the Sichuan-Chongqing region will work in coordination to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. We will promote comprehensive green and low-carbon development of the economy and society by implementing a ‘dual-drive’ strategy—green transformation of industrial structure and green optimization of energy structure,” said a relevant official from the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment.

In promoting the green transformation of industrial structures, Chongqing and Chengdu will play a “dual-core leading” role in 2022 to advance “green manufacturing.” The two municipalities will carry out clean production audits and certification programs, and promote clean production upgrades in traditional industries. They will also collaborate to establish a green technology innovation center and a green engineering research center within the twin-city economic circle, thereby accelerating the research and application of key green and low-carbon technologies. Furthermore, they will implement and strengthen the application of the “Three Lines and One List” ecological and environmental zoning management system for Sichuan and Chongqing, guiding the scientific and rational spatial layout of industries.

In promoting the green optimization of the energy structure, Sichuan and Chongqing will establish demonstration zones for high-quality development of clean energy and build a Yangtze River corridor for clean energy with national influence. At the same time, they will strictly implement the dual-control system for energy consumption intensity and total volume, continue phasing out outdated coal-fired power capacity, and promote the optimization of the coal-power structure as well as a green and low-carbon transition.

The “Key Points” propose that in 2022, Sichuan and Chongqing should launch pilot programs for green development, encouraging Wanzhou and the northeastern Chongqing region to explore a new model of green development for the Three Gorges area and forge a new path that balances comprehensive protection with localized development. Furthermore, the demonstration zone on Guangyang Island along the Yangtze River Economic Belt should be deepened, and Sichuan’s Tianfu New Area should take the lead in piloting and experimenting in the construction of park cities.

Chongqing and Sichuan are launching pilot demonstrations for green development, exploring a new model for green development in the Three Gorges region.

Strengthen the ecological barrier and jointly tackle cross-border pollution.

According to the Key Points plan, Sichuan and Chongqing will promote the construction of green ecological corridors for river systems, centered on the Yangtze River, Jialing River, Wujiang River, Minjiang River, Tuojiang River, and Fujiang River, and supported by other tributaries, lakes, reservoirs, and irrigation systems. In conjunction with key forestry projects such as “Green Hills on Both Banks—A Thousand-Li Forest Belt,” the regions will enhance both the quantity and quality of forests. Furthermore, efforts will be strengthened to protect and upgrade the “Four Mountains” in Chongqing’s central urban area, and to advance ecological conservation and restoration of Longquan Mountain in Sichuan.

The “Key Points” also propose launching the first round of biodiversity surveys in neighboring regions, promoting the construction of a propagation base for the Daba Mountain Sabina chinensis in Chengkou, establishing a conservation farm (or zone) for the Sichuan Jinyang Silky Chicken livestock and poultry genetic resources, and setting up a national key regional livestock and poultry gene bank in Rongchang, Chongqing.

On cross-border pollution governance, the two regions are focusing on continuously strengthening joint prevention, joint control, and joint treatment in areas such as water, air, and soil. “We will collaboratively advance cross-border water environment governance, implement coordinated protection and joint prevention and control measures for river basins including the Fujiang River, Tongbo River, and Shixi River, and jointly promote the establishment of the Qiongjiang Model River. We will also jointly build and share wastewater treatment facilities and facilities for harmless disposal of sewage sludge in neighboring urban areas and established townships,” said a relevant official from the Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

Jointly promote cross-border water environment governance.

In promoting joint prevention and control of regional air pollution, Sichuan and Chongqing will complete the major scientific and technological research project “Technical and Integrated Demonstration Project for Joint Prevention and Control of Air Pollution in the Chengdu-Chongqing Region,” further strengthening the mechanism for jointly addressing severe pollution episodes in neighboring areas. They will also enhance the coordinated management of PM2.5 and ozone, collaboratively implement staggered production schedules in industries such as cement, and strictly control “two high” industrial projects. Moreover, they will strengthen joint efforts to tackle mobile sources and dust emissions.

In terms of collaborative governance of soil pollution and coordinated supervision of solid waste, Sichuan and Chongqing will strengthen exchanges and cooperation on soil pollution control and remediation technologies, and jointly establish a shared pool of expert consultants for soil pollution prevention and control. They will also jointly promote the construction of “zero-waste cities” and facilitate the sharing of facilities for the utilization and disposal of hazardous waste.

Collaborative Governance and Integrated Supervision of Solid Waste

Jointly strengthen risk management and collaboratively discuss environmental governance.

The “Key Points” propose that the two regions will jointly prevent regional environmental risks, implement a collaborative mechanism for the joint prevention and control of sudden environmental incidents, strengthen joint emergency response drills conducted by neighboring cities and counties, and advance the construction of emergency environmental supplies reserve bases. Additionally, they call for enhanced environmental oversight of tailings ponds and coordinated efforts to promote radiation safety management.

“We will implement the coordinated and collaborative mechanism for ecological and environmental protection supervision between Sichuan and Chongqing, conducting simultaneous inspections, issuing tasks concurrently, and ensuring uniform standards for addressing prominent ecological and environmental issues that are of great public concern and span across regions and river basins,” said a relevant official from the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment.

This year, the two regions will implement a coordinated and collaborative mechanism for ecological and environmental protection inspections between Sichuan and Chongqing, regularly working together to identify problems, jointly assigning and addressing them in a unified manner, and sharing information on prominent ecological and environmental issues. They will also strengthen cooperation in legislative and judicial protection, collaboratively promote the revision and enactment of local regulations, carry out in-depth joint enforcement and cross-enforcement activities, and jointly deliberate on environmental management strategies.

In addition, the “Key Points” also outline arrangements for jointly improving the ecological compensation mechanism, collaboratively tackling key scientific and technological challenges in the field of ecological environment, strengthening cooperation in ecological and environmental monitoring, and deepening the sharing of ecological and environmental data.