Jinzhong Reservoir echoes with the central city.[File photo by Ming Jian]

Early in 1980s, Zhongshan has proposed "We pursue both economic development and green environment" concept and considered environmental protection as of equal importance as economic work.

In recent years, the city also proposed new thoughts and introduced new measures in an effort to strengthen environmental protection and further promote ecological civilization construction.

Make plans

On November 4, 2016, the Museum of Dr Sun Yat-sen (Tourism Area of Sun Yat-sen Howetown) became one of the national 5A tourist attractions. It was just a miniature of Zhongshan establishing national ecological civilization demonstration city.

In recent years, Zhongshan has formulated a series of development plannings, designated key projects and made work programs for the system building of ecological civilization construction. For example, the revised "Zhongshan Ecological Civilization Construction Planning for 2013-2030" took effect on December 31, 2014 after being deliberated and approved by the Standing Committee of The 14th Zhongshan Municipal People's Congress.

Besides, Zhongshan implemented "Off-office Auditing of Natural Resources and Assets" among government leaders, and in 2017 set up "ecology and livability" indicators for evaluating township leaders' annual performance.

Upgrade the system

In 2015, Zhongshan took the lead in Guangdong to implement the "universal type" ecological compensation mechanism. The area proportion of public welfare forest and plantation over total area of each town (district) will be considered when calculating ecological compensation. In that case, towns (districts) with less public welfare forest and plantation will make compensation, otherwise will accept compensation. The compensation standard will be upgraded year by year.

Statistics show that the city's total ecological compensation fund reached 170 million yuan as of 2017.

Last year, Zhongshan included drinking water protected areas in the ecological compensation system. In the next 5 years, the compensation for primary and secondary protected areas of drinking water sources will be 500 yuan and 250 yuan per mu per year respectively.

So far, the city's ecological compensation system has fully covered significant areas such as forests, rivers and cultivated lands, prohibited development regions, and major ecological function zones.

Protect the environment

The rigorous fuel ban is one of the measures Zhongshan implements for air pollution control and protection of the "blue sky". In May 2018, Zhongshan enlarged the "Pollution Fuel Restricted Zone" to the whole city. From then on, new boiler is required to consume clean energy only. Built boiler should be upgraded and renovated by June 30, 2019.

The flood discharge channel outside of Evergrande Oasis community was a 1,500m-long covered trench. In early 2018, Zhongshan proactively uncovered the channel and started the regulating engineering.

In recent years, the city has been accelerating the water treatment projects and started renovation for 15 polluted rivers. Besides, as of November 2018, all sewage pipes in the central city had been repaired and renovated. 

Awesome history

On December 10, 1998, Zhongshan was awarded as "National Environmental Protection Model City". The city kept advancing ecological civilization construction after receiving its first "national honor" of this type, and later in 1999 became the pilot region of "national ecological demonstration area".

Since 2005, Zhongshan boosted 12 eco-environment protection projects in inland river regulation, sewage treatment, refuse disposal, trash treatment, ecological afforestation, ecological protection, wetland recovery, mine greening, ecological agriculture, food inspection, pollution controlling, and village beautification.

On July 15, 2011, Zhongshan was official entitled "National Eco-city", becoming the first prefecture-level city to win this honorary title.