On August 18, the Hunan main event marking the National Ecology Day was held in Shibadong Village, Huayuan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Focusing on the theme of "Building a green foundation for Chinese modernization," the Development and Reform Commission of Hunan Province, the Department of Natural Resources of Hunan Province, the Ecology and Environment Department of Hunan Province, the Hunan Provincial Department of Water Resources, and the Forestry Department of Hunan Province released ecological development achievements in their respective fields, comprehensively showcasing the accomplishments of building a Beautiful Hunan.

A sound ecological environment is the foundation for the sustainable development of people and society. Hunan has persisted in carrying out the fight against pollution and promoting continuous improvement in the ecological environment. Since the beginning of this year, the improvement rates of the province's average density of PM2.5, the number of days with good air quality, and the number of days with heavy pollution have ranked among the top nationwide, with air quality at its best in the past five years. The proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water reached 95.9%, while the water quality of four main streams--the Xiangjiang, Zijiang, Yuanjiang, and Lishui rivers--remained stable at Grade II. The total phosphorus concentration in Dongting Lake dropped to 0.048 mg/L, the best level for the same period in the past decade.

Remarkable achievements have been made in green transition. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 19.4% cumulatively, and the share of non-fossil energy consumption rose to 27%. Since the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Hunan has sped up the construction of major projects such as pumped storage hydropower plants and the Xinjiang-Hunan UHV direct current transmission project. The installed wind power and photovoltaic capacity reached 43.18 million kilowatts. A total of 347 national-level green factories, 35 green industrial parks, and one zero-carbon industrial park have been established.

In terms of transforming ecological product value, the first accounting of gross ecosystem product (GEP) for the entire province and its 13 cities and one autonomous prefecture were completed. The Xianglin Carbon Ticket was selected as a typical case in the ecological and environmental code and reduced carbon emissions by 942,100 tonnes. Pilot projects such as the combined supply of natural resource assets and the Eco-environment Oriented Development (EOD) model are also being advanced simultaneously.

A green lifestyle is gradually gaining widespread acceptance. The proportion of electric buses in the province reaches 98.25%, and the penetration rate of new energy vehicles nears 50%. Practices such as waste sorting, the "Clear Your Plate" campaign, and low-carbon travel are widely popularized.

During the event, the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress explained the main spirit of the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China. Yueyang City, Huaihua City, and Huayuan County focused on themes such as coordinated governance of Dongting Lake, transformation of the value of ecological resources in mountainous areas, and systematic restoration of historically abandoned mines, to share exemplary experiences, providing replicable and scalable practical models for deepening ecological civilization across the province.

The event also featured an exhibition of Hunan's eco-environmental progress, presenting innovative measures and practical results from various departments, cities, and one autonomous prefecture. Participating representatives observed the exhibition and conducted field research at Lizizhai in Shibadong Village, the slag resource utilization project of the Hunan Huayuan Huanneng Technology Co., Ltd., and the Huayuan ecological governance demonstration river section (Biancheng section), experiencing the changes brought about by Hunan's ecological civilization up close.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn