A wind power plant generates clean energy for the local community in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

The 2023 Green, Low-Carbon and High-Quality Development Conference kicked off in Yantai city, Shandong province, on Aug 28, highlighting China's dual carbon goals.

In August 2022, the State Council issued the Opinions on Supporting Shandong in Deepening the Conversion of Old and New Growth Drivers and Promoting Green, Low-Carbon and High-Quality Development. Firmly steadfast in its commitment to ecological sustainability, Shandong has made remarkable efforts in bolstering green, low-carbon and high-quality development over the past year.

Green achievements

In the first half of this year, the province's investment in the "four new economy" - referring to new industries, new business patterns, new technologies and new modes - increased by 10.9 percent year-on-year.

Additionally, the proportion of the digital economy in the province's GDP exceeded 45 percent, ranking third in China in terms of total volume.

Shandong's integration index for industrialization and informationization reached 117.1, ranking second in the country and the industrial digitalization index reached 80.3, ranking first in China. The Laoshan National Laboratory has been launched and the province plans to build 21 national laboratories, nine provincial laboratories and 277 key laboratories.

To upgrade the green and low-carbon transformation of its traditional industries, Shandong has added 58 national-level green factories and three industrial parks in the first half of the year. Its investment in the technological transformation of enterprises above designated size also surged by 10.2 percent in the same period.

It is accelerating the coordinated development of the digital economy and the real economy. In the first half of the year, the operating income of Shandong's information technology industry increased by 15 percent.

Shandong has deeply implemented the national Yellow River strategy. This year, it shoulders key tasks such as upgrading ecological agricultural parks, cultivating Yellow River cultural models and constructing a highland for opening-up. 

By focusing on new-generation IT, high-end equipment, intelligent manufacturing, new energy, new materials and service industry, the Jinan Start-Up Area has introduced 138 major projects with a total investment of 314.4 billion yuan ($43.13 billion).

Shandong has also vigorously developed renewable energy, constructed five major clean energy bases, including offshore wind power and photovoltaic, and built a new energy system to guarantee green, low-carbon and high-quality development. By the end of June, the province had reached a cumulative installed capacity of 83.82 million kilowatts of new energy and renewable energy generation.

By adhering to market-oriented reforms and institutional innovation, Shandong has effectively activated market vitality. In the first half of this year, it had registered a total of about 1.03 million private economic entities. 

The province has also expanded high-level opening-up and promoted the high-quality development of foreign trade. In the first half of this year, the province's import and export increased by 1.8 percent, and the growth rate in the second quarter was 12.3 percent, which was 6.3 percentage points higher than the national average.

Future prospects

Achieving green, low-carbon and high-quality development is a path of continuous progress. At present, China still faces structural, fundamental and trending pressures on ecological and environmental protection.

In the future, Shandong will adhere to the development ideology centered on the people and will increase efforts to reduce carbon emissions, control pollution, expand green areas and promote sustainable growth.

With abundant scientific and educational resources, Shandong will advance the deep integration of several chains, including innovation, industries, fund and talent. It will also boost the economy through self-reliance and self-improvement in the sci-tech sector. 

The province is building advanced manufacturing clusters in such fields as next-generation IT, intelligent robots, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, green environmental protection, aerospace and marine equipment. 

Other initiatives include ensuring energy security and stable supply, building world-class seaports as well as multi-modal transport systems, giving full play to its leading role in bolstering the ecological protection and the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, which promotes rural vitalization and creates a new highland for reform and opening-up.