China’s Hainan Province to become ‘ecological civilization’ pilot zone

An environmentally-friendly island . . .

The Chinese government has announced its ‘Implementation Plan for National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone of Hainan Province,’ aimed at turning China’s southernmost island province into an environmentally-friendly zone. The plan’s major measures, announced yesterday, are aimed at: Improving air, water, and soil quality; increasing the use of clean energy; tightening controls on both total energy consumption and intensity; phasing out traditionally-fuelled vehicles; and, controlling carbon emissions. The measures will apply to all lands, and surrounding seas.

And then there were four . . .

The Hainan plan is the fourth of its kind in China, following eco-pilots for Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guizhou provinces. Each has its own focus and encourages provincial governments to test innovative ways of implementing reforms: Fujian on legal systems for environment and natural resource protection; Jiangxi on green agriculture; and, Guizhou on big data for ecological development. The ecological civilization zone pilots represent another major policy initiative stemming from China’s shift to a green development model laid out in its 13th Five Year Plan.

Opportunity vs crisis . . .

Last year, China banned imports of foreign recyclables, creating a crisis for many foreign countries – including Canada – that have to find new destinations in Asia or elsewhere for their wastes. The new Hainan pilot zone plan, however, could actually create opportunities for foreign businesses in the renewable energy and low carbon sectors – including LNG and clean ocean technologies, areas in which Canada has proven expertise.

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