Changdao Islands in the coastal city of Yantai in East China's Shandong province are known for their clean sandy beaches and limestone cliffs. [Photo/Shm News]

The Changdao Islands in the Changdao Marine Ecological Civilization Comprehensive Pilot Zone, which lie between the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea and are known for their clean sandy beaches and limestone cliffs, have become a renowned tourist site thanks to the local government's efforts to enhance the ecology and green development.

In recent years, the Changdao Marine Ecological Civilization Comprehensive Pilot Zone in the coastal city of Yantai in East China's Shandong province has beefed up efforts to promote the construction of an ecological civilization and explored new ways of achieving its decarbonization goals.

At the same time, the Changdao Islands in the pilot zone have undertaken afforestation and transformed over 10,000 mu (about 6,667 hectares) of degraded forests. The green area has increased from 450,000 square meters to over 690,000 square meters, and the forest coverage rate now stands at over 60 percent.

The Changdao Islands have made remarkable achievements in improving the urban and rural living environment. The quality of the ecological environment on the islands has improved significantly as well.

Since 2016, greenhouse gas emissions on Changdao Islands have decreased by nearly 50 percent, and the energy consumption per 10,000 yuan ($1,380) of GDP has also been lowered. Greenhouse gas emissions, too, are now much lower than the average levels of the city, province, and the country.

In the future, more tourism products featuring the area's characteristics will be developed to meet the diversified consumption needs of citizens.