Hohhot in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region plans to do more to protect its environment and develop itself into a truly green city. [Photo by Lyu Leyan/for China Daily]

Hohhot plans to do more to protect its environment and develop itself into a truly green city, said Yun Guangzhong, Party secretary of the city in an interview with Inner Mongolia Daily on March 18.

From now on, local authorities plan to give priority to protecting the environment and increasing the amount of green space.

The Party secretary urged Hohhot to continue with its fight against air, land and water pollution, as well as with efforts to replace traditional sources of energy with renewables.

And the results are already starting to come through.

In 2018, the municipal government enacted environmental restoration programs in major areas including Daqingshan Mountain, bringing the accumulative restored area to more than 370,000 mu (24,667 hectares).

Increasing green areas across the city is also high on the agenda, according to Yun.

The city plans to plant 600,000 mu of trees and is pushing ahead with the development of the forestry industry, setting itself on a path of green development.

With an investment of 2.5 billion yuan ($37.25 million), the city also plans to increase the newly-planted area of greenery to 2.5 million mu over the next two years.

In addition, it plans to invest 15 billion yuan to bring the forest coverage rate to 30 percent by 2020.

Yun also put forward measures to achieve a clean and low-carbon future. He urged local government to attract investment to clean industries, including new energy vehicles.

And he encouraged environmental institutions to promote the industrialization of sewage and garbage treatment. 

Hohhot plans to invest 15 billion yuan to bring the forest coverage rate to 30 percent by 2020. [Photo by Lyu Leyan/for China Daily]

Hohhot's continuous efforts in improving environmental protection are already starting to come through, with the accumulative restored area to more than 370,000 mu last year. [Photo by Lyu Leyan/for China Daily]