Create a Strategic System for Ecological Civilization …
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innovation capacity. Universities, research institutes and enterprises are encouraged
to join hands to build cooperation platforms. Efforts are required to accelerate the
commercialization of research findings produced in Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, and
various universities in the area, so as to make the area a technology hub.
4. Highlight environmental protection to ensure a good environment
The Plan requires strong faith in the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are
invaluable assets, and, in that vein, the most rigorous ecological protection rule.
According to these, the Greater Bay Area needs to launch major projects for conservation and restoration of ecosystems as soon as possible, develop biodiversity conservation networks, and enhance the quality and stability of its ecosystems. The red
lines for ecological conservation must be strictly observed, and control over the use
of natural ecological space must be strengthened. We need to step up the protection
of mountain, hill, and forest ecosystems in the vicinity of the Pearl River Delta,
and develop an ecological barrier of an uninterrupted belt of forest-covered mountains in the north. We must enhance the protection and management of coastlines,
strengthen the protection of shoreline resources and the conservation of natural properties, and establish a sound and comprehensive mechanism for dynamic monitoring
of coastlines. We should enhance the protection and restoration of near-shore marine
ecosystems, take forward the “Blue Bay” action plan for ecological remediation,
protect coastal mangroves, and create a coastal ecological belt. Guangdong, Hong
Kong SAR and Macao SAR should enhance their cooperation in ecological conservation, jointly protect key wetlands of national and international importance and
cross-boundary coastal wetlands in an all-round manner.
The Plan requires that we take forward cooperation in the management of water
resources, water environment and water-related projects in the Pearl River estuary
area, focusing on pollution control along the east and west banks of the Pearl River.
It also requires efforts to strengthen the management of projects concerning land
pollution discharge, water-related projects as well as the environment of coastlines
and beaches. To this end, we must expedite the development of a system for the
control of the total amount of major pollutants discharged into the sea as well as
a system for real-time online monitoring of the marine environment in the Greater
Bay Area, control the total discharge of pollutants into Dongjiang, Xijiang and other
smaller rivers in the Pearl River Delta to ensure that the water quality in the water
functional zones is up to standard. We must strengthen conservation of the water environment and aquatic biological resources of major rivers such as Dongjiang, Xijiang
and Beijiang, step up efforts to restore heavily-polluted river systems including the
Shenzhen River, continue with comprehensive environmental improvement efforts
targeted at heavily polluted water bodies in urban areas, link up water networks within
the Pearl River Delta, and develop a green aquatic ecological network across the entire
bay area. The Greater Bay Area also needs to strengthen joint prevention and control
of air pollution, launch more stringent clean shipping policies, make concerted efforts
to reduce the emissions of various pollutants, and take coordinated prevention and
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innovation capacity. Universities, research institutes and enterprises are encouraged
to join hands to build cooperation platforms. Efforts are required to accelerate the
commercialization of research findings produced in Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, and
various universities in the area, so as to make the area a technology hub.
4. Highlight environmental protection to ensure a good environment
The Plan requires strong faith in the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are
invaluable assets, and, in that vein, the most rigorous ecological protection rule.
According to these, the Greater Bay Area needs to launch major projects for conservation and restoration of ecosystems as soon as possible, develop biodiversity conservation networks, and enhance the quality and stability of its ecosystems. The red
lines for ecological conservation must be strictly observed, and control over the use
of natural ecological space must be strengthened. We need to step up the protection
of mountain, hill, and forest ecosystems in the vicinity of the Pearl River Delta,
and develop an ecological barrier of an uninterrupted belt of forest-covered mountains in the north. We must enhance the protection and management of coastlines,
strengthen the protection of shoreline resources and the conservation of natural properties, and establish a sound and comprehensive mechanism for dynamic monitoring
of coastlines. We should enhance the protection and restoration of near-shore marine
ecosystems, take forward the “Blue Bay” action plan for ecological remediation,
protect coastal mangroves, and create a coastal ecological belt. Guangdong, Hong
Kong SAR and Macao SAR should enhance their cooperation in ecological conservation, jointly protect key wetlands of national and international importance and
cross-boundary coastal wetlands in an all-round manner.
The Plan requires that we take forward cooperation in the management of water
resources, water environment and water-related projects in the Pearl River estuary
area, focusing on pollution control along the east and west banks of the Pearl River.
It also requires efforts to strengthen the management of projects concerning land
pollution discharge, water-related projects as well as the environment of coastlines
and beaches. To this end, we must expedite the development of a system for the
control of the total amount of major pollutants discharged into the sea as well as
a system for real-time online monitoring of the marine environment in the Greater
Bay Area, control the total discharge of pollutants into Dongjiang, Xijiang and other
smaller rivers in the Pearl River Delta to ensure that the water quality in the water
functional zones is up to standard. We must strengthen conservation of the water environment and aquatic biological resources of major rivers such as Dongjiang, Xijiang
and Beijiang, step up efforts to restore heavily-polluted river systems including the
Shenzhen River, continue with comprehensive environmental improvement efforts
targeted at heavily polluted water bodies in urban areas, link up water networks within
the Pearl River Delta, and develop a green aquatic ecological network across the entire
bay area. The Greater Bay Area also needs to strengthen joint prevention and control
of air pollution, launch more stringent clean shipping policies, make concerted efforts
to reduce the emissions of various pollutants, and take coordinated prevention and