Shenzhen Bay is encompassed by a ring of green foliage. Sun Yuchen
Shenzhen aims to reach the international advanced level of ecological environment quality by 2025, as the city reinforces its focus on high-quality growth underpinned by top-notch ecological environment, according to a report by Chinese-language Shenzhen Special Zone Daily yesterday.
In recent years, Shenzhen has kept its leading position in terms of air quality among domestic megacities.
According to the latest report from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Shenzhen ranked fifth among the 168 key cities in China for air quality from January to June this year.
As the city’s air quality has steadily improved year by year, Shenzhen continues to carry out the “Shenzhen Blue” sustainable action and is ramping up efforts in ozone pollution prevention and control, as well as the calculation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to achieve emission reduction.
Official statistics showed that Shenzhen’s PM2.5 density, a key indicator of air pollution, fell from 38 micrograms per cubic meter in 2012 to 16 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, a record low.
Meanwhile, the city has seen fewer hazy days over the years, with the number dropping from 98 days in 2013 to three days in 2022, a decline that was 6.6 times the national level during the same period.
Shenzhen has also witnessed an upturn in water quality and become the first city in the country to eliminate black and smelly water bodies citywide.
Shenzhen’s biodiversity conservation has achieved remarkable results, with a wider distribution of national key protected wild animals and plants, according to a biodiversity evaluation report unveiled by the Shenzhen Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau in May this year.
In December 2022, Shenzhen was awarded the title of Biodiversity Charming City by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, a global network committed to sustainable development.
Shenzhen is also going full throttle on green energy transition to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
The cumulative trading volume of carbon emissions quota at the emissions exchange in Shenzhen has so far reached 101 million tons, with a total turnover of 2.125 billion yuan (US$295 million), according to data from the ecology and environment bureau.
As of 2022, the Shenzhen carbon market had a total of 684 key emission enterprises, covering 34 sectors such as industry, transportation, telecommunications and internet.