China Environmental Protection Century Tour 2024丨 focuses on the implementation of the Yellow River Protection Law, and the results of these Shandong work at the kick-off meeting are worthy of attention.

On June 23, the 2024 China Environmental Protection Century Tour publicity event led by the General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress was launched in Jinan, Shandong. At the kick-off meeting, responsible comrades of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Province People's Congress, the provincial government and its relevant departments, and deputies to the National People's Congress respectively introduced the relevant situation of Shandong Province in promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin based on the actual work.

We will make every effort to implement the "Yellow River Protection Law of the People's Republic of China"(hereinafter referred to as the Yellow River Protection Law), promote the green and low-carbon transformation of areas along the Yellow River, and improve the environmental quality of the Yellow River Basin... Shandong will implement major national strategies for the Yellow River. In a prominent position, phased results have been achieved.

Promote local legislation and lay a solid foundation for the rule of law

In October 2022, the Yellow River Protection Law was reviewed and approved by the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress. At the same time, Shandong Province continues to improve its legal system to lay a solid legal foundation for ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin in the province.

"After the implementation of the Yellow River Protection Law, we promulgated the Yellow River Protection Regulations of Shandong Province, the Ecological Protection Regulations of the Yellow River Delta of Shandong Province, and revised the Yellow River Channel Management Regulations of Shandong Province and the Yellow River Flood Control Regulations of Shandong Province." At the meeting, Zhou Liwei, Vice Governor of Shandong Province, introduced that Shandong has formed a local legal system with the "Yellow River Protection Regulations" and the "Decision on Strengthening the Construction of Modern Water Network in Shandong" as the guide, and the "Dongping Lake Protection Regulations" and "Nansi Lake Protection Regulations" as the framework.

Looking back at the entire set of local laws and regulations, Shandong Province has raised its political stance, strengthened its responsibility, and coordinated the legislation of "big people" and "small quick spirits". The "Decision on Strengthening the Construction of Modern Water Network in Shandong" is the best embodiment of implementing "small quick spirits".

In July 2022, the Standing Committee of the 13th People's Congress of Shandong Province reviewed and approved the "Decision on Strengthening the Construction of Modern Water Network in Shandong"(hereinafter referred to as the "Decision"), focusing on "one axis and three rings, seven vertical and nine horizontal, two lakes and multiple reservoirs" The overall pattern of the provincial water network has established and improved institutional mechanisms such as optimal allocation of water resources, flood control and disaster reduction in river basins, and protection of water ecosystems, and strengthened the guarantee of land, funds and other factors and scientific and technological support.

"This" Decision "is not long or divided into chapters. It is mainly designed to address some key issues in water network construction. In contrast, these issues are specific rather than macro, and their institutional design does not need to be comprehensive. Therefore, we choose the 'small and quick' approach to legislation." Xu Jinmei, deputy director of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Province People's Congress, told reporters.

In addition, it is also a highlight to strengthen coordinated legislation in the nine cities along the Yellow River and promote the continuous extension and expansion of the legal construction of the Yellow River protection in Shandong. In January 2023, the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Shandong Province approved local regulations in Jinan and other nine cities along the Yellow River with the theme of "Protection and Conservation and Intensive Utilization of Yellow River Water Resources."

Xu Jinmei introduced that this collaborative legislation focuses on thematic coordination. The nine cities focus on the theme of "Yellow River Water Resources Protection and Conservation and Intensive Utilization", fully consider the current status of the protection and utilization of Yellow River water resources in this city, and legislate on issues. At the same time, focus on innovation in collaborative mechanisms and establish an efficient and orderly legislative collaborative mechanism. Cities share legislation, policies, standards and other information to jointly study and solve difficult and focus issues.

Implement energy conservation and carbon reduction to promote high-quality development

"By the end of this year, Shandong's new energy and renewable energy power generation capacity will historically exceed coal power." Sun Aijun, Party Secretary and Director of the Development and Reform Commission of Shandong Province, said at the kick-off meeting.

Public data shows that in 2023, Shandong ranks second in the country in thermal power generation. In a major thermal power province, coal-fired power installed capacity will be surpassed by new energy and renewable energy power generation. Behind this is Shandong's efforts to accelerate energy transformation.

Sun Aijun introduced that Shandong has successfully been approved as a national carbon emission dual control pilot exploration area, and plans to build large-scale clean energy bases such as offshore wind power and Jiaodong Peninsula nuclear power. As of the end of May this year, the total installed capacity of new energy and renewable energy power generation in Shandong Province was 99.593 million kilowatts, accounting for 45.4% of the total installed capacity.

For high-quality development along the Yellow River, energy construction is important but by no means the only one. It is also necessary to achieve orderly development through planning. Shandong Province has implemented a three-year action plan for the construction of green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot areas to accelerate the promotion of ecological priority and green development.

A set of data shows the development momentum: concentrating factor resources to support the development of 32 strategic emerging industrial clusters at or above the provincial level and 15 future industrial clusters at the provincial level. At the same time, a total of 483 green factories, green industrial parks, and green supply chain management enterprises at or above the provincial level have been established in nine cities along the Yellow River, and the number of high-tech enterprises has reached 15,000.

In order to speed up the construction of the project, Shandong does its best to support it. Sun Aijun said that Shandong has established a provincial key project library for the Yellow River Strategy, implemented a total of 1064 major projects and completed an investment of more than 960 billion yuan. A total of 889.5 billion yuan in new special bonds have been arranged to support the construction of 6880 key projects in the fields of agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, ecological and environmental protection in nine cities along the Yellow River.

Coordinate protection and governance to create a happy river that benefits the people

In recent years, a number of rare and local species in Shandong Province, such as the green-headed diving duck and the Yellow River swordfish, have been effectively protected, and the population is continuing to recover.

Hou Cuirong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Shandong Province, introduced that in order to effectively strengthen the unified supervision of ecological protection and restoration, Shandong took the lead in conducting an evaluation of the effectiveness of ecological and environmental protection in provincial nature reserves in the Yellow River Basin, and carried out remote sensing monitoring on 50 nature reserves in the Yellow River Basin. For seven consecutive years, we have carried out strengthened supervision of the "Green Shield" nature reserve to effectively promote problem rectification.

To control the Yellow River, the focus is on protection and governance. Among the nine provinces along the Yellow River, Shandong Province took the lead in issuing a provincial-level special plan for ecological and environmental protection in the Yellow River Basin. The issued "Action Plan for the Battle of Ecological Protection and Governance of the Yellow River in Shandong Province" proposed 6 major actions and 79 specific measures, and implemented the "Top Ten Actions" for ecological and environmental protection in the Yellow River Basin for three consecutive years.

"In addition, we strictly implement systems such as water quality analysis, early warning of exceeding standards, supervision and dispatch, establish a full-time water quality guarantee improvement mechanism, and carry out in-depth work on 'inspection, measurement, tracing, treatment and management' of sewage outlets entering the Yellow River Basin to basically understand the Yellow River Basin. The base number of sewage outlets entering the river." Hou Cuirong said.

Data shows that last year, the proportion of excellent surface water bodies in Shandong Province was 83.7%, exceeding the annual target by 15.1 percentage points. The proportion of excellent water bodies in the Yellow River Basin and the Nansi Lake Basin reached 100%. Water bodies below Class V were dynamically cleared, and Class II water quality was maintained throughout the main stream of the Yellow River.

Hou Cuirong said that the ecological environment system of Shandong Province will adhere to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand, coordinate industrial structure adjustment, pollution control, ecological protection, and response to climate change, promote continuous improvement of ecological environment quality, and strive to create a green, low-carbon and high-quality development pioneer area and Yellow River Basin ecological protection model area, making the Yellow River a happy river that benefits the people.