China strengthened environmental protection and pursued green and low-carbon development over the past five years, according to a government work report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation on Sunday.

By upholding and acting on the principle that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," the country will continually improve its ecological conservation systems and accelerate the transition to a model of green and low-carbon development, the report said.

Advance environmental protection

China has sought to prevent and control pollution. Over the past five years, the air quality stayed at the level of good or excellent on 86.5 percent of the days in cities at and above the prefectural level, and black malodorous water bodies were generally cleaned up, according to the report.

The country also made progress in preventing and controlling soil pollution and restoring polluted soil, according to the report, and it stepped up the treatment of solid waste and new pollutants.

China has carried out major projects for preserving and restoring key ecosystems, the report said, adding that the country continued to promote the natural regeneration of grasslands, forests, rivers, lakes and wetlands, as well as enforcing the 10-year fishing ban in key water bodies of the Yangtze River.

Towards green and low-carbon development

China made steady progress in energy conservation and carbon reduction. The energy mix was improved over the past five years, as the share of clean energy in total energy consumption increased from 20.8 percent to over 25 percent, said the report. The country is working toward the targets of peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.

The country aims to further improve its energy mix with systematic steps and develop a new energy system, which includes moving the manufacturing sector toward smarter and greener production, according to the report.

China will improve policies for green development, advance energy conservation and carbon reduction in key areas, it said.

(Cover: A view of a photovoltaic power station in Tianjin, China, July 18, 2022. /Xinhua)