Ecological protection efforts in Qinghai pay off

Northwest China’s Qinghai province is about to set another record in renewable energy. From June 20 to 28, the province will run for nine consecutive days solely on clean energy, which will break its own record, set last year, of running on 100 percent renewable energy for a week.

Sustaining such a large-scale, long-term, safe, balanced and stable power supply on hydraulic, solar and wind energy is no doubt powerful proof of Qinghai’s achievements in green energy development over recent years.

Situated in the northwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Qinghai province is the source of the three major rivers in China: the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Lancang River. Covering multiple landscapes including grasslands and wetlands, the province is a perfect demonstration of China’s ecological achievements.

Qinghai Lake, the largest salt lake in China, has been expanding rapidly over the past few years and over 300,000 birds of 223 different species now inhabit the area. Now Qinghai has the largest area of wetland in China, the coverage expanding from 5.57 million to 8.14 million hectares in 2001.

Great efforts have been made by the province to maintain green development. By making good use of local solar energy, Qinghai has generated the largest capacity of solar power in China over the last year. In addition, ecotourism, as well as a green industrial chain and agricultural advancements have also been developing quickly.

Moreover, Qinghai province has established innovative mechanisms to protect local ecosystems. For instance, the province has placed ecological protectors at river sources to guard the plants, and has also prohibited tourism in natural reserves. Qinghai has placed strict rules on ecological protection and is enforcing them stringently.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization is enlightening, because it's a profound idea of reconstructing the harmony between nature and human beings at a higher level, said a Dutch scholar, adding that it has changed the development mode and image of China.

Qinghai’s value, responsibility and potential all lie in its ecology. A local officer once noted that ecological protection calls for efforts from all generations, and they will keep moving forward in this area.