Yantai Shares Low-carbon Development Experience at COP28: Building Changdao Island Into An International Zero-Carbon Island

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DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Urban Climate Cooperation Dialogue of the COP28 China Corner held in Dubai on December 8, Zheng Deyan, deputy secretary of the CPC Yantai Municipal Committee and mayor of Yantai, delivered a speech on the eastern Chinese city's practical experience on low-carbon development.

Zheng said that Yantai, as a pilot city for low-carbon development in China, was ranked third in the mid-term evaluation among the 81 Chinese cities participating this year. This accomplishment is attributed to Yantai's integration of green and low-carbon concept into its development and its efforts to vigorously promote low-carbon transformation in the aspects of energy, industry and urban construction. In terms of energy transition, Yantai has a clean energy installed capacity of 12.41 million kilowatts, accounting for more than half of the total installed capacity. In the future, Yantai plans to build a nuclear power base, a wind power base, and an offshore photovoltaic base, all with an installed capacity of more than 10 million kilowatts, In terms of industry restructuring, Yantai is accelerating the construction of green parks and zero-carbon factories through photovoltaic power generation, energy storage assistance, and intelligent operation and maintenance. In terms of low-carbon urban construction, Yantai completed the construction of a single ultra-low-energy-consumption building covering 200,000 square meters this year. Additionally, the city is constructing a digital virtual power plant, a zero-carbon port and a green airport using nuclear power to expand the coverage of zero-carbon heating, and creating a batch of zero-carbon community and school demonstration projects. In general, Yantai aims at promoting the exchange and cooperation with other cities through the conference, fighting against climate change with joined efforts across the border, and protecting the Earth of human beings. 

Zheng also shared the development of Yantai's Changdao Island as a demonstrative "International Zero-Carbon Island." Changdao Island is China's first comprehensive experimental zone for marine ecological civilization, according to him, and measures such as dismantling all wind power facilities on the island, implementing waste classification, ensuring harmless treatment of sewage, and providing clean energy heating throughout the island have resulted in significant improvements in the ecological environment. The municipal government of Yantai has established a research team led by three academicians with the goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on Changdao Island by 20% by 2027, establish a "Zero-Carbon Island" model with global influence by 2030, and become an international zero-carbon island with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the island by 2035. By building the international zero-carbon island, the coastal city is presenting a changing city from Changdao Island, a progressive China from Yantai and its experience of fighting against climate change for global island cities. 

Yantai is a lovely modern coastal city with moutains, sea, islands, springs and rivers, Zheng added. It is the origin of Shandong cuisine and the only International Vine and Wine City in Asia. As a Chinese saying goes, seeing is believing. In his remarks, Zheng welcomed friends from home and abroad to visit Yantai, a coastal city of fairyland. He believed that they would fall in love with the city.

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