An Exchange Conference on Synergistic Interaction in Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Key Industries and Near Zero Carbon Emission Pilot Zones Wraps up in Yibin

From June 6 to 7, an Exchange Conference on Synergistic Interaction in Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Key Industries and Near Zero Carbon Emission Pilot Zones was held in Yibin. This conference was co-hosted by Tianfu Yongxing Laboratory (hereinafter referred to as the "Laboratory"), the Sichuan Academy of Environmental Policy and Planning, and the Sichuan Province Academy of Industrial Environmental Monitoring. During the conference, on-site visits, keynote speeches, panel sessions, and roundtable discussions were organized. Themed at “cutting carbon emissions, reducing pollution, expanding green development, and pursuing economic growth", experts and professors shared their insights about how Sichuan Province could make steady moves in the synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction and how its new quality productive forces could foster the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature in the efforts of building a beautiful Sichuan. ZHAO Lechen, member of the Party Group and Chief Engineer of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province, WANG Chaoyong, Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department, and ZHOU Wenyu, Deputy Mayor of the People's Government of Yibin City, delivered speeches at the conference. 

According to ZHAO Lechen, in recent years, striving to be a pioneer zone in building a beautiful China, Sichuan Province has put synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction at a more prominent position, and has proactively and prudently advanced its efforts in this regard. All its 21 cities and prefectures have issued implementation plans for this. As a result, an initial synergizing policy system covering various sectors and regions has been established. Following this, under the guidance of building a beautiful Sichuan Province, efforts will be intensified to achieve carbon peaking and improved air quality in key cities, and accelerate the exploration of a path for the synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction applicable to the practical needs of Sichuan Province. 

WANG Chaoyong stated that Sichuan Province witnesses a gradually robust carbon peaking and carbon neutrality policy system in its industrial sector. The green and low-carbon transformation of industrial structures has been significantly accelerated, with a steadily improved level of clean and efficient utilization of energy and the formation of a green manufacturing system. In order to foster and expand green productive forces, the province will thoroughly practice green transformation in the industrial sector, use clean and efficient energy, utilize resources in an intensive and circular approach, improve its clean production process, promote green technology R&D, and enhance basic capabilities in pursuing green growth. These initiatives will advance the comprehensive transformation, process reform, chain-wide changes, and overall enhancement in the manufacturing industry. 

ZHOU Wenyu emphasized in his address that aligning with the construction of a pilot zone for eco-friendly, green and low-carbon development, Yibin has been strengthening the ecological shield area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It is also vigorously advancing the synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction, promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction in key fields, and developing near zero carbon emission pilot zones. As a result, a sustained overall reduction has been achieved in industrial energy consumption across the city. With higher demands, intensified efforts, and more practical measures, the city is steadily implementing the synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction in key industries and near zero carbon emission pilot zones, so as to support the high-quality development with high-level ecological environmental protection. 

During the thematic seminar, CHEN Yunfa, Director of the Carbon-containing Pollutant Control and Energy Utilization Technology Research Center at the Laboratory, and Researcher at the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, addressed a speech titled Exploring the Paths for Synergistic Interaction in the Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction for Sichuan's Baijiu Industry; YAN Gang, member of the Expert Committee of the Pollution and Carbon Reduction Synergy Research Department at the Laboratory, and Deputy Dean of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Ministry of Ecology and Environment delivered a speech titled Discussion on Paths of Synergistic Interaction in the Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction and Zhejiang's Practices; and DONG Faqin, Director of the Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Ministry of Education shared his insights by delivering Building a High-Quality Productivity System Driven by Technological Innovation in Industry for Carbon Reduction and Green and Low-Carbon Green Development. 

During the parallel sessions, 16 experts from the Laboratory's Research Center for Pollution and Carbon Reduction Evaluation, Carbon-containing Pollutant Control and Energy Utilization Technology Research Center, Peking University, Sichuan University, CSCEC Southwest Consulting Company Limited, the Sichuan Province Academy of Industrial Environmental Monitoring, State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company, and Pangang Group, among other corporate and institutional entities, delivered presentations on three major themes, including "Policies and Technologies for Synergistic Interaction in the Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Key Fields", "Case Studies on Synergistic Interaction in the Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Near Zero Carbon Emission Pilot Zones" and "Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in Key Industrial Sectors". 

During the conference, the Climate Change and International Cooperation Office of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province, the Laboratory's Research Center for Pollution and Carbon Reduction Evaluation, and the Sichuan Academy of Environmental Policy and Planning, jointly released the 2023 Progress Report on the Construction of Near Zero Carbon Emission Pilot Zones in Sichuan Province. This report is the first public release of an evaluation report on near zero carbon emission pilot zones in the province, presenting progress in pilot zone construction, exemplary cases, problems and challenges faced, recommendations for deepening the pilot zone program, and key milestones. 

Two parallel roundtable discussions on "Advancing the Work of Building Near Zero Carbon Emission Pilot Zones" and "Synergistic Interaction in the Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Key Industries" were also organized during the conference. Representatives from 17 near zero carbon emission pilot zones made in-depth discussions on construction progress, existing problems and challenges, and forthcoming plans. Industry associations and corporate representatives provided insights and suggestions for the pollution and carbon emissions reduction in key sectors such as liquor, ceramics, tobacco, electrolytic aluminum, cement, and steel. 

Guided by the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province and the Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department, and co-organized by the Ecological Environment Bureau and the Economic and Information Technology Bureau of Yibin City, and Yibin Sanjiang New Area Management Committee, the conference was attended by nearly 200 representatives from the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province and the Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department, ecological and environmental bureaus, economic and information bureaus of cities (prefectures), universities, research institutes, industry associations, companies, and near zero carbon emission pilot zones. Prior to the conference, participants, organized by the organizing committee, made field visits to the Energy Port in the Eastern Industrial Park of Sanjiang New Area, the Zero Carbon Factory of Sichuan CATL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and the Ecological Park of Wuliangye Co., Ltd. During these visits, they learned about key enterprises’ progress in reduction of pollution and carbon emissions on the site. 

The National Key R&D Program "Sichuan Basin Multi-Medium Cross-Stratum Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change Collaborative Control Technology and Application Demonstration" and the Major Laboratory Project "Non-linear Regulation Key Technology Research and Application Demonstration for Reduction of Pollution and Carbon Emissions" provided support for this conference. Next, the Laboratory's Pollution and Carbon Reduction Synergy Research Department will intensify collaborative research on the synergistic interaction in the pollution and carbon emissions reduction and promote and apply related technological policies based on the discussions at the conference. These efforts are expected to fuel the high-quality development of green and low-carbon transformation in key fields and the construction of near zero carbon emission pilot zones in Sichuan Province.