On September 5th, in order to systematically and comprehensively explore the path of green, low-carbon, high-quality development in development zones, and to promote the construction of a new future for green, low-carbon, high-quality development in development zones, the 2023 Shandong Province Development Zone Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development Symposium was held in Jinan Mingshui Economic and Technological Development Zone. The theme of this symposium was "Green New Drivers, New Vitality for Development Zones." It invited over 130 experts and guests from institutions such as Tsinghua University, the China Energy Modeling Forum, and several development zones in Shandong Province to discuss the path of green, low-carbon, high-quality development in development zones and provide valuable policy recommendations. CIDEG, as a key supporting organization, played a significant role in this event.
Under the strategy of transitioning to new growth drivers, Shandong Province's development zones are focusing on green, low-carbon, high-quality development.
At the beginning of this symposium, Huang Bo, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of Mingshui Economic and Technological Development Zone, Song Yuyan, Secretary-General of the National Green Development Alliance of National Economic Development Zones, and Jiang Jie, Deputy Director of the Development Zone Management Department of Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce, delivered speeches introducing the development of representative development zones in Shandong.
Li Shantong, the former head of the Development Strategy and Regional Economic Research Department at the State Council Development Research Center and a member of the Academic Committee of the China Energy Modeling Forum, delivered a speech titled "Industrial Structural Transformation and Upgrading in Shandong Province Under the Dual Circulation Background." Since the beginning of economic reforms and opening up, China has actively integrated into the international circulation, forming a networked pattern of "you in me, me in you." Currently, the world is undergoing unprecedented changes, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a profound adjustment in the global economic circulation pattern. Accelerating the establishment of a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations mutually reinforcing is a strategic choice to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the new development stage and implement the new development concept. It is an important strategic orientation for China's development. Based on the characteristics and evolution of various provinces' participation in the dual circulation, Li Shantong conducted a detailed analysis of Shandong Province's position and role in China's dual circulation. With its large population and substantial market size, Shandong Province has the conditions and capabilities to create a new growth pole and source of power that stretches from east to west and supports both the south and north, making a greater contribution to domestic circulation. In the context of the "dual carbon" goals, Shandong Province should not only focus on the gradual transformation of traditional capital-intensive industries but also enhance its advantages in technology-intensive industries. These provide new insights and considerations for regional economic development and offer new directions for the development of Shandong Province and industrial parks.
Song Yuyan, the Secretary-General of the National Green Development Alliance of National Economic Development Zones, provided a roadmap and suggestions. Under the title "Suggestions for the Development Path of Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development in Development Zones," Song Yuyan proposed development recommendations under the headings of "3生规划" (Three Life Plans), "3绿路径" (Three Green Paths), and "3E目标" (Three E Targets).
Left to right: Tian Jinping (host), Hu Xiulian, and Ji Yongbao speaking on-site.
During the dialogue session in the development zone, Hu Xiulian, a researcher at the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission and a senior advisor to the China Energy Modeling Forum, along with Ji Yongbao, the Deputy Director of Science and Technology at the Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee, discussed and shared their viewpoints on "Promoting Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development in the Development Zone through the Establishment of an Eco-Industrial Park." The dialogue was moderated by Tian Jinping, a researcher at the School of Environment at Tsinghua University.
Researcher Hu Xiulian stated that the green, low-carbon, high-quality development of industrial parks, as an important component of the national dual carbon strategy, would promote the integration of industries in the development zone, facilitate transformation and upgrading, and drive innovation. It would also accelerate technological iteration, enhance the competitiveness of enterprises in domestic and international markets, and promote the sustainable development of the development zone. Additionally, it would serve as a guiding and exemplary role for related industrial enterprises outside the development zone in practicing green, low-carbon, high-quality development. She emphasized that to achieve green, low-carbon, high-quality development in industrial parks, the following principles should be followed: minimum input and maximum carbon reduction, energy conservation as a priority, minimizing cumulative carbon emissions, and maximizing the use of renewable resources. These principles should be combined with system indicators such as unit product energy consumption, energy utilization efficiency, carbon emission trends, and emission reduction potential to formulate long-term and comprehensive green, low-carbon development plans for the development zone. Attention should also be paid to statistical accounting for energy consumption and carbon emissions, clarifying future energy demand and carbon emission trends, as well as identifying emission reduction pathways and the priority sequence and timing of emission reduction technology measures, along with the establishment of corresponding safeguards. Secondly, effective management during the planning execution period, including annual target assessments and performance evaluations, should be carried out to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner.
Deputy Director Ji Yongbao shared successful practices and achievements in the economic development zone and raised three current challenges that could affect project implementation and development in the zone: the lack of replicable experiences to reference, potential adjustments in development zone policies, and a significant gap in pollution total quantity indicators.
Left to right: Hou Xiaokun (host), Wang Hailin, Gu Baihe, and Yue Dezhong speaking on-site.
Subsequently, Gu Baihe, Deputy Researcher at the Institute of Scientific and Technical Strategy Consultation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Hailin, Deputy Researcher at the Institute of Energy and Environmental Economics at Tsinghua University, and Yue Dezhong, Member of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Zoucheng Economic Development Zone, engaged in a discussion on "Promoting Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development in the Development Zone through Industrial Upgrading." The dialogue was moderated by Hou Xiaokun, Senior Researcher at the Secretariat of the National Green Development Alliance of National Economic Development Zones. The dialogue participants expressed that all stakeholders and experts should strengthen collaboration and work together on multiple dimensions and levels to chart a new path for the development of the development zones.
Deputy Researcher Gu Baihe shared his experience in designing evaluation indicator systems for industrial parks and assessing the value of ecological products. He proposed that the path to low-carbon transformation in industrial parks should focus on aspects such as industrial transformation and upgrading, energy structure transformation, energy efficiency improvement, and resource recycling. It is crucial to establish and improve the carbon management system of the development zone, including the establishment of a carbon emission data statistical accounting system and the design of integrated emission reduction schemes. Additionally, industrial zones should recognize the opportunities brought by the "dual control" system for carbon emissions, change their development mindset, adapt to institutional reforms, and proactively plan ahead.
Deputy Researcher Wang Hailin pointed out that industrial upgrading in the development zone should consider both short- and medium-term development as well as long-term planning. Zone managers should tailor the industrial transformation and upgrading path to the characteristics, resource endowments, and development stage of the zone. They should implement national policies in the zone's development to enhance its overall competitiveness. Furthermore, they should view zone development from the perspective of optimizing it and strengthen cooperation and coordination among enterprises within the zone to make development more sustainable.
Deputy Director Yue Dezhong believed that the contradiction between coal resource-based cities like Zoucheng Economic Development Zone and energy utilization is crucial for promoting green, low-carbon, high-quality development in some zones. Therefore, exploring how to transition from a resource-based city and conduct industrial upgrading is of utmost importance.
The exchange meeting delved into the current status of green, low-carbon, high-quality development in national-level development zones and overall achievements in green development. The discussions provided the latest research basis and decision-making references for achieving the transformation of new and old growth drivers and green, low-carbon, high-quality development in the development zones.
Editor: Intern Chen Zhuoer
