Baotou has been accelerating the green transformation of its development model since the beginning of this year, focusing on carbon reduction, pollution reduction and green area expansion.

The city has improved the quality of its forest and grassland wetland ecosystems, afforestated 401,200 mu (26,747 hectares) of land, and restored 835,000 mu of grassland.

The city's ecology and environment department has submitted for approval the first group of national groundwater pollution prevention and control pilot zones, climate investment and financing pilot zones, and regional reclaimed water recycling pilot zones.

The city's efforts to become a "zero-waste city" were further promoted, and its solid waste dual-drive comprehensive utilization model and other three zero-waste models were promoted nationwide.

In addition, Baotou has promoted peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. Four projects, including the world's first 100,000-metric-ton carbonized steel slag comprehensive utilization project, are under construction. After completion, all projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 700,000 tons per year.