Nanning wins top environmental prize

By Rong Xiandong, Huo Yan and Huang Feifei in Nanning (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-02-04 12:40

Nanning has won a top Chinese environmental prize after it received the Habitat Scroll of Honor Award from UN-Habitat in 2007, another reward for its relentless efforts to protect its environment.

The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region's capital city clinched the 2009 China Baosteel Environmental Award, the top prize for environmental protection in China, making it the third Chinese capital city to win the award after Shenyang in northeast China and Hangzhou in east China.

Che Rongfu（R）, Party secretary of Nanning, unveils the 2009 China Baosteel Environmental Award at a ceremony in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, on February 3, 2010. [Photo/Huo Yan]

Nanning's environmental quality has substantially improved and reached its highest level in 20 years. In 2009, the city experienced 362 days of good air quality and a record high of 224 days of excellent air quality, Che Rongfu, Party secretary of Nanning, said at an award unveiling ceremony in Nanning on February 3.

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In 2009, Nanning's average density of dioxide sulfur, dioxide nitrogen and inhalable particles decreased by 45 percent, 26.3 percent and 25.4 percent respectively from 2005.

In addition, water quality of the city's major rivers including the Yongjiang River has continually improved.

"Nanning hopes to become a co-friendly city coordinating economic development and environmental protection in five to 10 years," Nong Bing, head of Nanning Environmental Protection Bureau, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily while participating in the award unveiling ceremony.

The China Baosteel Environmental Award，launched in 2000, is organized by 13 ministries and institutes including the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China Environmental Protection Foundation and Shanghai-based Baosteel.

The theme of the 2009 China Baosteel Environmental Award is "green economy and sustainable development".