The coastal city of Yantai in East China's Shandong province has been committed to a green development pattern, and gone through a green and low-carbon transition over the past decade, according to the city's top official at a news conference held on Sept 19.

Adhering to the concept of clear waters and green mountains being as valuable as gold and silver, the city has made huge progress in vitalizing the ecological environment. Yantai continues to promote the construction of a "Beautiful Yantai", and efforts were carried out to facilitate prioritized ecological development, further the fight against pollution, and strictly adhere to environmental protection policies over the past 10 years.

Thanks to the city's unprecedented efforts to promote an ecological civilization, Yantai was awarded the titles of National Forest City and National Water Ecological Civilization City.

Yantai has also advanced the development of clean energy, and made many firsts in Shandong and across the country.

In Haiyang, a county-level city in Yantai, a nuclear power plant on the Yellow Sea shore completed its mission this year to provide clean heating to all urban districts in the city throughout the winter. The plant's heating system is connected to the nuclear unit, making it the first commercial attempt in China to supply heat from traditional nuclear power.

Through continuous efforts over the past 10 years, Yantai now enjoys a bluer skies and better air quality. Its nitrogen oxide emissions have been reduced by more than 40 percent, and the atmospheric environmental quality has reached the national secondary standard for four consecutive years.

The city also launched a city-wide afforestation campaign, and more than 1.5 million mu (100,000 hectares) of trees have been planted during the past decade, with its forest coverage rate hitting 36.28 percent, ranking first in Shandong province.

Through continuous efforts over the past 10 years, Yantai now enjoys a bluer skies and better air quality. [Photo/VCG]