Ecology management for 300 protection units

A GUIDELINE on the city’s regional ecology and environment management has been released by the government, which lists nearly 300 environmental protection units, categorized into three major types: those under priority protection, key management and control, and general management and control.

The guideline is set on the basis of the nation’s “Three Lines and One List” approach. The three lines refer to the ecological bottom line, environmental quality baseline and upper limit of resource usage, while the list covers environmental management requirements for different areas.

In October 2017, the environment ministry launched nationwide compiling work on regional plans for this approach that it promoted.

According to Shanghai Ecology and Environment Bureau, among the 293 units listed in the guideline are 44 areas with important ecological functions that are marked for priority protection, including waters at the mouth of the Yangtze River, reserves of drinking water sources and atmospheric reserves in Chongming District.

They accounted for 18.4 percent of total environmental protection units. In these areas, construction and development should be strictly restricted with very tough protection measures to ensure their ecological and environmental functions.

The 123 regions are under key management and control cover industrial parks, major ports and downtown areas, about 21.3 percent of the whole. Downtown areas should develop productive service industries and highvalue-added urban industries as well as laying emphasis on deepening the reduction of pollution discharge.