How does Jiangsu government support a green economy?

by Melanie Victoriano (Content Editor)

Image source: Getty

The reappearance of finless porpoises and peach blossom jellyfish in parts of Jiangsu are indicators of the province’s achievements in promoting a green economy.

According to Wu Zhenglong, Communist Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province, "While Jiangsu's GDP more than doubled in the past decade, the total amount of major pollutant emissions has continued to decline. Energy consumption and carbon emissions intensity per unit of GDP have decreased by 48.3 percent and 43.4 percent, respectively."

He added, “Finless porpoises have reappeared in the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River and peach blossom jellyfish have returned to Taihu (Lake Tai). Blue skies, white clouds, green waters and mountains are within sight. More than 93.6 percent of the public feels satisfied with the environment in Jiangsu.”

Jiangsu's efforts at promoting a green economy and high-quality development have worked well for the province, Wu said, adding that the province’s GDP in 2021 was comparable to that of South Korea.

According to the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission, the average density of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the province has decreased by 54.8 percent since 2012.

In the past 10 years, the Jiangsu Department of Ecology and Environment has reportedly shuttered 57,275 polluting enterprises and ordered closed 4,739 chemical companies that failed to meet environmental protection standards. In addition, the number of chemical industrial parks has fallen from 54 to 29 in Jiangsu as the province focuses more on green and low-carbon industries.

Jiangsu government investment in science and technology, particularly in environmentally friendly emerging industries and high-technology companies, comprises about 85 percent of the province's total.

Support for green economy

Jiangsu has drawn from the experience since the early 2000s of countries like the UK, US, Germany, France, Japan and South Korea to develop policies and programs in support of a green economy.

Green finance

One channel of such development is green finance, or supporting the flow of financial capital to the green industry. For example, the Environmental Protection Department of Jiangsu Province worked with the Nanjing branch of the People’s Bank of China to implement a “five-color grading” for enterprises, which not only publicizes the environmental behavior of industrial enterprises but also enables financial funds to be rationally allocated in the green industry.

Back in 2008, Jiangsu was also a pilot area for national environmental pollution liability insurance, a brainchild of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

In 2012, the Bank of Jiangsu was the first bank to implement a China Utility-based Energy Efficiency (CHUEE) program on a provincial level. CHUEE is a project of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the World Bank. The program aims to help Jiangsu enterprises implement renewable-energy and energy-efficiency projects. Funds worth $73 million were earmarked for the risk-sharing program by the IFC, China’s Ministry of Finance, the Jiangsu Provincial Finance Department, and the China Clean Development Mechanism Fund.

Green industrial clusters

Another tack is encouraging the establishment of green industrial clusters or industrial parks. Jiangsu began early, recognizing its geographical and investment strengths such that Suzhou Industrial Park, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone and Nantong Economic and Technological Development Zone have achieved remarkable results in industrial upgrading, open cooperation and green development.

Ecological construction plan

A scientific paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health noted that Jiangsu is the first province in China to launch a provincial-level “ecological civilization” construction plan. The authors stated that Jiangsu’s policy could be a model for other provinces in China. The plan has an effectiveness evaluation index that looks at resource utilization, environmental protection, economic development and social quality of life measures.

International cooperation

Jiangsu has sought partnership with international agencies in line with its sustainable development goals.

GIZ, the German Agency for International Cooperation, is working with the province on a project called “Supporting the Low Carbon Development of Jiangsu Province Phase III (2019-2023).”

Part of the project is the establishment of a Sino-German institute and network to develop products and services aligned with low-carbon development and to facilitate discourse on phasing out coal among industry actors, academics and politicians.

Past phases of the project saw Jiangsu piloting the implementation of low-carbon energy compound systems in industry parks, buildings, companies and city quarters. These pilot projects involved the use of energy-efficient equipment and energy management systems.

Jiangsu also partnered with the United Nations’ Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) project in 2015. A report released by PAGE stated that based on their indicators of a green economy, the scores of 13 cities in Jiangsu Province in 2015-2017 were all positive, showing progress in the green economy. The indicators include energy use, income, social security, greenhouse gas emissions, and freshwater withdrawal. Suzhou had the highest green economy score in Jiangsu, while the cities of Nanjing, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Lianyungang, Zhenjiang, Nantong, Huaian, Yancheng, Yangzhou and Taizhou also progressed during the project period.

Model for high-quality development

Jiangsu’s efforts at building a green economy have been noted by the central government. According to the State Council Information Office, China’s paramount leader Xi Jinping has visited Jiangsu three times since 2012. Xi reportedly stated on one of those visits that Jiangsu could be a model province as the country shifts its focus from high-speed to high-quality economic development.

The second phase of the highly successful virtual sourcing festival Jiangsu Online Show will run  from November 2 to 11, 2022. Source quality products from reliable suppliers in Jiangsu now.

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