Island seeks views on integrated development

The 8th Shanghai Chongming Ecological Island International Forum (2024) is underway and will run through Saturday to brainstorm how to use technology as a guide to explore the path of integrated development of natural ecology, industrial ecology, and human settlement ecology.

The forum this year seeks suggestions for the development of a "Chongming World Class Ecological Island."

More than 20 experts and scholars from the United Nations Environment Programme, the UK, Canada, South Korea, Nepal, Serbia, Ethiopia, and China have been invited to give their thoughts.

Chongming is aiming to implement the "+ecology" and "ecology+" strategies which promote the integration of ecology, production, and living, striving to achieve high-level ecological development, drive high-quality growth, create high-quality living standards, and implement efficient governance. Gradually, this approach aims to explore a path of eco-priority and green development that ensures harmony between humanity and nature while fostering balanced economic and social progress.

The island district is making progress in exploring an ecological priority and green development path of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and coordinated economic and social development.

"Currently, we are based on our own ecological resource endowment, empowered by technological innovation, accelerating the development of new quality productivity according to local conditions, actively transforming ecological advantages into development advantages, and promoting green innovation technology as an important support for ecological civilization construction and economic and social development," said Li Jun, director of Chongming, in a keynote speech at the forum on Friday.

Luo Dajin, director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai, said: "Through this forum, we will organize and carry out research on the cultivation strategy of characteristic ecological industries in Chongming Ecological Island, mobilize the wisdom of domestic and foreign experts, scholars, and people from all walks of life, and plan for the future development of Chongming."

Harunur Rashid, a Canadian professor and specially appointed researcher with Shanghai Ocean University, told Shanghai Daily: "This is my first time visiting Chongming from Lingang where I am based and I consider the direction of Chongming's ecological development is very good.

"The island district has a lot of potential to explore and we have to put something for the future generation to enjoy, for our children and our children's children and I think Chongming definitely did a good job," Rashid said.

Professor Li Qun, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Chongming had made great achievements in the maritime economy.

"It is quite obvious that significant achievements have been made in businesses such as the fishery photovoltaic complementary power generation and maritime equipment industry in Chongming," said Li, director of honor of the ESG Committee of the China Environmental Protection Federation.