Let green become the most distinctive background of beautiful Gansu

Walking into the Qilian Mountains, the regional vegetation coverage has increased, and the mountains are green and full of vitality as far as you can see. The snow leopard population in the reserve has shown a significant recovery trend, and the large wild animal population has increased significantly. Many places have vigorously rectified and restored the ecological environment, actively explored ways to realize the value of ecological products, and waded new paths of ecological priority and green development.

Clear water flows eastward. Gansu Province is an important water conservation area and replenishment area in the Yellow River Basin. The water quality of the exit section of the main stream of the Yellow River has reached Class II for eight consecutive years. Baiyin City, Lan 'Zhou City and Dingxi City have been included in the national regional recycled water recycling pilot program, and the overall ecological environment quality in the Yellow River Basin has been consolidated and improved.

The barren land in the past is now infinitely beautiful. Gansu Province is rich in wind and solar energy resources. In recent years, the province has accelerated the development of green and low-carbon cycles and continuously broadened the transformation path of the "two mountains". More and more beautiful ecological pictures are being displayed on this land, injecting vitality into the development of Gansu Province.

harmonious home. Photo by He Jirong

Add new "green" to each mountain and river to protect the beautiful ecological environment

Unswervingly follow the path of ecological priority and green development, and coordinate the promotion of carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth. In recent years, Gansu Province has promoted ecological and environmental protection work in a coordinated manner and continuously planted a solid foundation for green development.

The ecological security barrier in the Qilian Mountains continues to be firmly built. Strengthen the "three lines and one single" ecological environment zoning management and control in the Qilian Mountains region, promote the pilot supervision of ecological protection red lines in the Qilian Mountains, and the construction of ecological ground monitoring stations in the Qilian Mountains National Park. Monitoring and evaluation of the ecological environment status of key ecological functional areas in the Qilian Mountains shows that the ecological environment is stable and improving. The experience and practices in protecting the Qilian Mountains have become a positive example of national thematic education and have been included in the sixth batch of national cadre training materials.

The ecological environment in the Yellow River Basin has improved significantly. Nine provinces (autonomous regions) along the Yellow River were the first to promulgate provincial-level regulations on ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. 25 of the 33 issues in the National Yellow River Warning Sheet have been rectified. As of the end of 2023, the proportion of excellent water quality in the Gansu section of the Yellow River Basin is 92.68%, which is 2 percentage points higher than the average level of nine provinces (autonomous regions) of the Yellow River.

Efforts will be made to maintain the blue sky and carry out key actions to prevent and control heavily polluted weather, prevent ozone pollution, and control diesel truck pollution. Projects such as pilot projects for clean heating in winter in the northern region are steadily advancing, and more than 270,000 households with loose coal in rural areas have been managed. A total of 59 coal-fired boilers of 65 steam tons and above have been transformed into ultra-low emission with 6100 steam tons. Promote ultra-low emission transformation of the steel and cement industries with high quality.

Efforts were made to protect clear water, and the province's investigation and rectification of sewage outlets into rivers exceeded the national task. Jointly carry out ecological environment supervision and inspection of the main and tributaries of the Yellow River with surrounding provinces. Signed horizontal ecological compensation agreements with Ningxia and Sichuan for the main stream of the Yellow River to promote the establishment of horizontal ecological compensation mechanisms in river basins in 12 cities and 18 counties (autonomous regions) across the province.

Efforts will be made to protect the pure land, continue to carry out actions to prevent and control the source of heavy metal pollution such as cadmium in agricultural soil, and implement special emission limits for heavy metal pollutants in key areas such as areas where mineral resource development activities are concentrated in the province. Promote the inclusion of the prevention and control of sources of cultivated land soil pollution and safe utilization into relevant assessments of cultivated land protection and food security, food safety and other relevant assessments. Comprehensively promote the construction of "waste-free cities" and launch pilot monitoring of new pollutants. In 2023, we will complete environmental improvement in 305 administrative villages and 26 rural black and odorous water management tasks.

With a thick green background, the environmental quality of the province has stabilized and improved.

Desert photovoltaic power generation. Photo by Li Fayu

Always regard the protection of the ecological environment as the "greatest thing in the country"

In December 2023, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China"(hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), which made systematic arrangements for comprehensively promoting the construction of a Beautiful China and clarified overall requirements, key tasks and major measures.

After the issuance of the "Opinions", the Gansu Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government promptly studied and formulated the "Implementation Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of Beautiful Gansu"(hereinafter referred to as the "Implementation Opinions"), focusing on the target path, key tasks, and key links, and proposing detailed measures. It provides important institutional guarantees for the province's ecological civilization construction, ecological environment protection, and the construction of beautiful Gansu.

The "Implementation Opinions" emphasize that Gansu Province plays a pivotal position and role in ensuring national ecological security, and protecting the ecological environment is the greatest contribution to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. The construction of beautiful Gansu is related to the overall high-quality social and economic development of the province and will surely run through the entire process of the practice of Chinese-style modernization in Gansu. We must adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, regard ecological and environmental protection as a major people's livelihood project and popular support project, strive to solve outstanding ecological and environmental problems that the masses strongly reflect, continue to improve the quality of the ecological environment, enhance ecosystem service functions, and provide more high-quality Ecological products, products, continuously enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.

The construction of beautiful Gansu is more detailed and precise this time.

The "Implementation Opinions" anchor three time nodes in terms of deployment arrangements. By 2027, the construction of Beautiful Gansu will achieve remarkable results; by 2035, the goal of Beautiful Gansu will be basically achieved; looking forward to the middle of the 21st century, Beautiful Gansu will be fully completed. Three stages of ecological and environmental governance paths are simultaneously proposed, namely, the "14th Five-Year Plan" will deepen the attack to achieve continuous improvement of the ecological environment; the "15th Five-Year Plan" will consolidate and expand to achieve comprehensive improvement of the ecological environment; and the "16th Five-Year Plan" will improve the overall ecological environment. The environment has fundamentally improved.

Looking forward to the middle of the 21st century, beautiful Gansu will be fully built. Ecological civilization has been comprehensively improved, green development methods and lifestyles have been fully formed, key areas have been deeply decarbonized, the ecological environment has been healthy and beautiful, and the ecological environment governance system and governance capabilities have been comprehensively improved.

Autumn scenery of Dahuagou, Lingtai County, Pingliang City. information picture

Long-term work and continuous efforts to promote the construction of beautiful Gansu in five aspects

In order to solidly advance the key tasks of building beautiful Gansu and promote the construction of ecological civilization from a higher position, the "Implementation Opinions" clarify that Gansu Province will continue to make efforts from five aspects, go all out to protect, tackle hard governance, and work hard for a long time, and strive to promote the construction of ecological civilization deeper and more practical, and create a new situation.

We will deepen the battle against pollution and continue to improve the quality of the ecological environment. It is necessary to fight the battle to defend blue skies, fight the battle to defend drinking water safety, carry out actions to prevent and control the source of soil pollution, promote the creation of "waste-free cities" step by step, and continue to promote new pollutant control actions. Keep a close eye on the ecological and environmental issues around the people, and focus on carrying out special rectification of problems such as catering fumes, noise pollution and peculiar odors disturbing the people.

Efforts will be made to build an important ecological security barrier in the western part of the country and maintain the boundaries of natural ecological security. Continue to improve and improve the long-term supervision mechanism for the normal ecological environment of the Qilian Mountains, and accelerate the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand. Continuously improve the level of biodiversity protection, focusing on giant pandas, golden monkeys, snow leopards, yew, etc., and comprehensively protect rare wild animals and plants in the province. Effectively maintain ecological security and improve ecological security risk assessment, monitoring and early warning, response and disposal capabilities.

Accelerate the green transformation of development methods and lay a solid foundation for high-quality economic development. Vigorously promote the optimization and adjustment of industrial structure, implement actions to strengthen industry, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system supported by the real economy. Focusing on the optimization and adjustment of the energy structure, we will accelerate the construction of new energy projects and accelerate the adjustment of transportation structure. Adhere to establishing first and then breaking, actively and steadily promote carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and promote the "double control" of energy consumption to gradually shift to "double control" of total carbon emissions and intensity.

Explore and create a practical demonstration model for the construction of a beautiful China in Gansu to show the magnificent style of the western region. Study and formulate a construction plan for the Beautiful Gansu Demonstration Zone, and carry out practical innovation by model and echelon. Build beautiful rivers and lakes, and further advance the ecological protection and management of the Yellow River and the battle to protect and restore the Yangtze River. Build beautiful cities, implement urban renewal actions, and promote urban ecological restoration and functional improvement. Build beautiful villages, implement the construction action of beautiful rural demonstration counties, and coordinate and promote rural ecological revitalization and rural living environment improvement.

Improve and improve the policy and institutional system to provide strong support for the construction of beautiful Gansu. Strengthen legal protection and promote the formulation and revision of local laws and regulations in the fields of biodiversity protection, soil and water conservation, wetland protection, pollution prevention and control, monitoring and control, and ecological protection and restoration of key areas and key river basins. Improve the market-oriented allocation system of resources and environmental factors, give full play to the synergy of fiscal, taxation, price, financial and other policies, and vigorously develop green finance. Deepen collaborative innovation in science and technology and strengthen the in-depth integration of industry, academia and research led by enterprises.

The construction of ecological civilization is a fundamental plan related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, a major political issue related to the party's mission and purpose, and a major social issue related to people's livelihood and well-being. On the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, we must maintain the strategic determination to strengthen the construction of ecological civilization, support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, accelerate the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and make green the most distinctive and most reliable background in beautiful Gansu.