Leadership Insights | Xi's Stories: Inner Mongolia-New Practices of Local Governments in the New Era

Sticking the strategic positioning and adhering to green development

As an important ecological security barrier in northern China, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has unswervingly followed the new path of high-quality development that prioritizes ecological conservation and green development in recent years. To this end, it continues to promote the transformation and upgrading of the traditional energy industry and vigorously develop green energy, enhancing its position as a major national energy base. Today, a green “Great Wall” is emerging the northern part of the country.

The added value of the whole new energy industry chain in Inner Mongolia increased by 16.1% year on year. 

It has built the largest single photovoltaic sand control project and the largest wind power base in China, and the first solid-state low-pressure hydrogen storage production line in the world. 

Inner Mongolia has forest areas totaling 357 million mu, ranking first in the country. 

The grassland area is 815 million mu, ranking second in the country. 

The forest coverage rate and grassland vegetation coverage both increased in 2023. 

The overall environmental management results of Hulun, Wuliangsu and Dahai lakes won recognition from the central government. 

The regulations on the ecological protection of the Wuliangsu Lake basin were promulgated and implemented. 

The proportion of Inner Mongolia’s surface water that is rated as “good” or above in the national assessment and the PM2.5 concentration in Wuhai and surrounding areas both reached the best level in history. 

The autonomous region saved 373 million cubic meters of water for agricultural use, and its farmland irrigation water effective utilization coefficient surpassed the national average for the first time. 

It completed carbon sink transactions of 805,000 tons, with a total transaction volume of 27.09 million yuan. 

The autonomous region newly built four green industrial parks and 67 green factories. 

(Sources: The website of the People’s Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the 2024 Government Work Report of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region)

The ecological environment of Inner Mongolia is not only valuable natural resources, but also the cornerstone and advantage of Chinese modernization. In the great journey of Chinese modernization, Inner Mongolia has fully understood its strategic positioning—namely, “promoting environmental protection in the process of development and advancing development through environmental protection”, and constantly moved forward along a unique path of prioritizing ecological conservation and green development.