Fostering green development

Over the years, Zhejiang has launched a scientific working mechanism to promote green development by formulating plans to cope with climate change, consummating a profit-driven model of green, recyclable, low-carbon development and setting annual goals for carbon emissions.

Utilizing its advantages in green, low-carbon circulative development, Zhejiang has continued to further its use of clean energy and establish eco-friendly buildings and transportation methods.

The green lifestyle is increasingly becoming fashionable as communities, schools and commercial areas embrace the trend.

Last year, clean-energy consumption rose to 28.1 percent from 21.9 in 2016. A total of 64,842 public toilets were either created or improved, with rural water sewage treatment facilities covering 92.5 percent of all villages in Zhejiang.

Environmental protection

Zhejiang has striven to accelerate environmental protection efforts for the Qiantang River and coastal areas.

Moreover, through investigations and evaluations targeting biodiversity throughout the province, 263 new species have been discovered in recent years. Zhejiang has also taken action to better preserve nature through the establishment of Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu National Park, Kaihua National Park and others.

"By 2020, the forestry coverage ratio in Zhejiang reached 61.2 percent, with forest stock topping 361 million cubic meters," Yuan said.

Promoting modernization

Through an ongoing digital reform campaign, the province will launch a complete, comprehensive digital platform to enhance monitoring, supervision and rectification in the environmental protection sector and strive to strengthen law enforcement efforts to that end.

A digital platform to better administer space and land in Zhejiang will also be launched, adopting virtual reality technologies.

The provincial government has also formulated a raft of laws and regulations to better beautify Zhejiang, setting up long-term goals to make it a poetic and picturesque place by 2035.

"We are committed to consolidating and improving Zhejiang's environment during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) to build it into a place as beautiful as the painting Dwelling on the Fuchun Mountains in the New Era," Yuan said.