Editor's note: To promote the construction of ecological civilization, we need to deal with several major relationships. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the first is to correctly handle the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection, the second is to correctly handle the relationship between key tackling and collaborative governance, the third is to correctly handle the relationship between natural restoration and artificial restoration, the fourth is to correctly handle the relationship between external constraints and endogenous power, and the fifth is to correctly handle the relationship between "dual carbon" commitment and independent action.
Summing up the practical experience of the past 10 years in the new era, we have deepened our understanding of the regularity of the construction of ecological civilization. 2023 is a milestone year on the road to ecological civilization construction in the mainland. This year, the sky on the mainland has become bluer, the land has been greener, and the water has been clearer, and the construction of a beautiful China has delivered satisfactory answers, and the people's sense of gain, happiness and security has been significantly enhanced. This year, the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection was held, the mainland ushered in the first National Ecological Day, the Yellow River Protection Law was officially implemented, the three landmark battles of the "Three Norths" project started smoothly, and the pace of green and low-carbon development continued to accelerate.
At the end of the year, let us feel the efforts made by the ecological civilization builders on the new journey of building a harmonious coexistence between man and nature through stories from the front line of ecological and environmental protection.
Correctly handle the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection
Protect the Yangtze River with the power of science and technology
"Gradually realize the new energy of passenger ships"
Reporter Wu Jun
Embark on the "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River No. 1" pure electric cruise ship, from Gezhouba to the Three Gorges Dam, the green mountains on both sides of the Yangtze River slowly row in front of you.
"This cruise ship can run for 10 hours or 150 kilometers under comprehensive conditions. Chen Guohai, captain of the "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River No. 1" on the same day, introduced, "I drive from Yichang Port to Sandouping Port every day, the whole journey is about 40 kilometers, charge 1 electric energy to run back and forth, and run a night tour on the river in the urban area at night, and there is still 20% of electricity left." ”
Not only is the endurance long, but the cruise ship is also stable, comfortable, quiet, and does not smell diesel. "Taking a cruise ship to visit Xiling Gorge and visiting the Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba is really worth the trip!" Liu Jun, deputy general manager of Yichang Jiaoyun Yangtze River Cruise Co., Ltd., said that as of October 31 this year, the "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River 1" has operated 163 voyages of "two dams and one gorge" and 125 voyages of the Yangtze River night tour, receiving more than 310,000 tourists.
The "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River 1" is the world's largest new energy pure electric cruise ship independently developed by the mainland, and made its maiden voyage in Zigui New Port in Yichang on March 29 last year. "The power 'heart' of our cruise ship is divided into 4 battery compartments and is equipped with 720 lithium iron phosphate power battery packs with a total load capacity of 7,500 kWh. Chen Guohai said that the "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River 1" is also the world's first electric ship with high-voltage charging and low-voltage charging schemes, filling a number of technical gaps in the field of electric passenger ships in the mainland.
Liu Jun introduced that with the continuous advancement of the "electrification of the Yangtze River", high-voltage charging points have been built in Yichang Port and Zigui Maoping Port, and pure electric ships can be charged at any time when resting and waiting for tourists, and it only takes 6 hours to fully charge at a time. In addition, the ship's domestic garbage is also landed at Yichang Port and Kowloon Wharf, and the sewage enters the city's sewage pipe network to achieve unified treatment.
At present, the charging capacity of "Three Gorges of the Yangtze River 1" has exceeded 1.3 million kilowatt hours. In addition, Yichang has 3 new energy passenger ships under construction, 2 have been tendered, and 5 have been included in the plan. "In the future, we will gradually realize the new energy of passenger ships. Liu Jun said.
Focusing on the "electrified Yangtze River" and "hydrogenated Yangtze River", Yichang protects the Yangtze River with scientific and technological strength, and in the first half of this year, 19 shipbuilding enterprises in the city built a total of 40 new energy ships. The relevant person in charge of the Yichang Municipal Development and Reform Commission said that Yichang will build 2 to 3 10-billion-level parks, and the annual construction of green and intelligent ships will reach more than 300.
Correctly handle the relationship between key tackling and collaborative governance
Control soil erosion in arsenic sandstone areas of the Yellow River Basin
"Promoting the coordination of water-sediment relations in river basins"
Reporter Wang Hao
The lack of water and the lack of sediment and the uncoordinated relationship between water and sediment are the crux of the Yellow River's complexity and intractability.
At the "bend of the Yellow River", the small watershed of Erlaohugou in the Jungger Banner of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is connected to the Yellow River through thousands of ravines. Shen Zhenzhou, deputy chief engineer of the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of the Yellow River Hydraulic Research Institute, is stationed here all year round to check the pulse of the Yellow River water and sediment relationship and carry out research on soil erosion control.
Why was the experimental station chosen in the small watershed of Erhugou?"This is a typical arsenic sandstone area. The arsenic sandstone will loosen into sand when exposed to wind and water, and the vegetation in the area is scarce and the ecology is fragile, resulting in a large amount of coarse sediment entering the Yellow River. The arsenic sandstone area accounts for only about 2% of the Yellow River Basin, but the average amount of coarse sediment entering the Yellow River for many years is nearly 100 million tons. It is very important to control the arsenic sandstone area to promote the coordination of water-sediment relations in the Yellow River Basin. Shen Zhenzhou said.
In the flood season, the runoff and sediment volume are recorded, and the water erosion status is detected, and the denudation rate of rock formations in different seasons is monitored, and the five major monitoring data of hydrology, soil, climate, biology and geomorphology are fully covered ...... the five major monitoring data of hydrology, soil, climate, biology and geomorphology, so as to do a full physical examination for the small watershed and promote the coordination of water-sediment relationship in the basin. Shen Zhenzhou said.
Soil and water conservation is a complex project, and the main contradiction must be grasped in order to control soil erosion. Xiao Peiqing, director of the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation at the Yellow River Hydraulic Research Institute, said that at first, researchers found that most of the sediment in the lower reaches of the Yellow River was coarse sediment, but gradually identified the Loess Plateau as the main source.
Rainwater collection equipment was built at the top of the slope to develop economic forests such as apples and apricots; the slope was covered with anti-erosion and growth-promoting materials, and economic shrubs and pastures were planted; arsenic sandstone modified material silt dams were laid at the bottom of the ditch to store water and hold back sand -- multiple measures were taken at the same time to keep the water and soil in the small watershed to the greatest extent.
"Years of practice have proved that only by correctly handling the relationship between key tackling and coordinated governance, multi-departmental cooperation, multi-regional cooperation, and multi-policy coordination, can effective soil erosion control be realized. Yao Wenyi, a professor-level senior engineer at the Yellow River Water Conservancy Research Institute, said.
The second Laohugou small watershed is just a microcosm. The water conservancy department adheres to the principle of proceeding from the integrity of the ecosystem and the systematization of the river basin, and comprehensively manages, systematically and at the source, and implements policies according to local conditions and scientifically. By the end of 2022, the cumulative area of soil erosion in the Yellow River Basin had been 268,800 square kilometers, and the soil and water conservation rate had reached 67.85%.
Correctly handle the relationship between external constraints and endogenous dynamics
Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspectorate
"The modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature will be accelerated"
Reporter Kou Jiangze
Not long ago, the third round of the first batch of central ecological and environmental protection inspectors was fully launched, and five inspection teams carried out inspectors stationed in Fujian, Henan, Hainan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
In a resident petition room of the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Supervision Group, staff member Jiang Ping is handling reports from the masses. The letter was from a local citizen who reported that there was a problem of illegal sand digging in a river.
"This report belongs to the ninth batch of reports, number 9556. Jiang Ping introduced. This means that at that time, the inspection team had received 9 batches of 556 whistleblower letters in the province. Jiang Ping entered the name, location, and status of ecological and environmental damage into the information system, "The inspector is to solve the problem." After the review is passed, the report will be transferred to the relevant departments for investigation and handling in accordance with the principle of territorial supervision. ”
Dealing with letters and calls from the masses is an important part of the work of the central ecological and environmental protection inspectors. Accepting reports from the masses and strengthening public participation not only make the inspectors more down-to-earth and more aware of the people's feelings, but also enrich the connotation of the inspectors and improve the efficiency of the inspectors.
Through the letters and phone calls from the masses, it can be seen that the enthusiasm and initiative of the public to participate in ecological and environmental protection continue to increase. Jiang Ping has participated in the petition work of the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Supervision Group for many times, "The masses will not only reflect the 'small things' of environmental pollution around them, such as catering fumes, construction site dust, etc., but also with the continuous strengthening of the construction of ecological civilization, everyone's enthusiasm for participation is increasing, and the number of reports on regional and watershed ecological and environmental issues involving public interests has shown a significant growth trend." ”
The Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspectorate has established a complete set of working mechanisms for report acceptance, transfer, verification, supervision and return visits. The inspection team announced the telephone number and mailbox for petition reports as soon as possible, promoted supervision and reform, made public the investigation and handling situation, increased the intensity of return visits, and established a long-term mechanism.
Ma Jun, a "specially invited observer" hired by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Research of environmental protection social organizations, witnessed the continuous expansion of diversified participation in ecological environmental protection. "The mainland has established and improved a series of systems such as the central ecological and environmental protection inspection, continuously strengthened external constraints, and at the same time stimulated the endogenous power of the whole society to jointly care for the ecological environment, so as to jointly build and share a beautiful China. Ma Jun said, "Correctly handle the relationship between external constraints and endogenous power, and the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature will be accelerated." ”
Correctly handle the relationship between natural and artificial restoration
Promote natural recovery and restore water areas
"Hulun Lake is becoming more and more beautiful"
Reporter Zhang Fan
In December, Hulun Lake, in the cold wind, more than 2,000 square kilometers of the lake surface has been frozen up.
Early in the morning, 59-year-old Bao Liming drove to start a day's patrol. As a ranger at the Hulungou Management Station of the Hulun Lake National Nature Reserve Administration in Inner Mongolia, he has been guarding Hulun Lake for 36 years. Hulun Lake is located in the hinterland of the Hulunbuir grassland, which plays an important role in regulating climate, conserving water sources, and maintaining the ecological balance of the surrounding grassland.
"In order to minimize the impact of human factors on Hulun Lake and promote its natural recovery, in recent years, catering and accommodation facilities around the lake have been banned, and the fishing industry has also changed from a fishing moratorium to a total ban on fishing. Bao Liming introduced. Spring and autumn are the spawning season for fish and the breeding and migration season for birds, and they also need to protect the bird migration routes.
After patrolling for five or six hours, Bao Liming came to visit the herdsman Manda's house along the lake. In order to protect the ecology of the grassland around the lake, the local government has actively carried out desertification and grassland degradation control around the lake, and 417 households around the lake area have achieved ecological migration. Manda is now a volunteer patrolman and will contact the conservation station as soon as he finds out about the situation.
"During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, we implemented a grazing ban of 12.68 million mu and a grass-livestock balance of 43.65 million mu in the grasslands around Hulun Lake. Since 2020, 838,000 mu of desertified land in the Hulun Lake basin has been controlled, grassland ecological protection has been continuously increased, and the degree of desertification and degradation of grassland has been effectively curbed. Dou Huashan, deputy director of the Hulun Lake National Nature Reserve Administration, said, "Hulun Lake is becoming more and more beautiful. ”
Back at the station, Bao Liming began to check the monitoring system again. "More than 100 people in 8 management and protection stations in the reserve manage and protect an area of more than 7,400 square kilometers, and 7 people in our management and protection station manage and protect more than 500 square kilometers, which is inseparable from electronic eyes. Bao Liming said that through 24-hour monitoring, the management and protection station investigated and mastered the population and activity area of wild animals such as wolves, sand foxes, and yellow sheep, which not only realized management and protection, but also provided data for relevant scientific research work.
After years of scientific management and systematic protection, the ecological environment of the Hulun Lake basin has continued to improve, and the water area has recovered significantly.
Correctly handle the relationship between the "dual carbon" commitment and independent action
Explore the path of green transformation of enterprises
"Don't let excess sewage be discharged into the Yangtze River"
Reporter Yang Yanfei
Although it is almost the middle of winter, the oil terminal of Sinopec Jiujiang Branch (hereinafter referred to as "Jiujiang Petrochemical") is still verdant.
Early in the morning, Liu Bin, the company's environmental protection expert, led the team to the terminal operation area to carefully inspect the oil and gas recovery facilities. "Although there is no abnormality in the online monitoring data, on-site inspection equipment and manual sampling are indispensable, which is equivalent to a 'double insurance' for safety and environmental protection. Liu Bin said.
"This oil and gas recovery facility can collect the volatile oil and gas in the process of receiving and unloading through the pipeline, and the recovery rate is more than 95%. Mi Pengtao, director of the environmental protection office of the safety and environmental protection department of Jiujiang Petrochemical, said, "Since we have promised not to let excessive sewage be discharged into the Yangtze River, we must work hard to fulfill it." ”
The Jiujiang petrochemical production area is clean and tidy. "More than 10 years ago, when it was windy, the whole factory would be filled with a pungent smell. Liu Bin recalled that at that time, the company's awareness of environmental protection was not strong, coupled with backward production technology, single products, high energy consumption and other reasons, once faced the situation of shutdown and transfer. After analyzing the difficulties faced, the company took pollution reduction, carbon reduction and green transformation as a key measure to break the situation. Since 2016, Jiujiang Petrochemical has actively implemented the "Green Enterprise Action" plan, implemented nearly 30 projects for the treatment and upgrading of environmental hazards, and successively carried out 38 special technological transformation projects......
In the control room of the carbon dioxide recovery and comprehensive utilization project in Jiujiang Petrochemical Industrial Park, technicians are paying attention to the operation of the automated production line. The project uses Jiujiang Petrochemical's coal-to-hydrogen decarbonization tail gas as raw material, and recycles, purifies, compresses and purifies the carbon dioxide that was originally emitted as exhaust gas through sealed pipelines to turn it into food-grade high-purity carbon dioxide, realizes resource utilization, and generates more than 2,000 yuan of benefits every year. So far, a total of 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide have been recovered. Project leader Ao Huihua said.
Green and low-carbon development, in exchange for the company's production capacity growth and structural optimization: the petrochemical comprehensive refining and chemical processing capacity has been increased from 500,000 tons to 10 million tons, and the products have been expanded from gasoline and diesel to aviation kerosene, polypropylene, aromatics, etc., and the market competitiveness has been significantly improved. In recent years, Jiujiang Petrochemical has achieved 100% compliance rate for effluent wastewater discharge and compliance disposal rate of solid waste, and last year's carbon emissions were reduced by 700,000 tons compared with 2021, and the sewage reuse rate increased from less than 30% to 65%.