The growth of urban areas can be disastrous for nature, the climate and people if not managed sustainably. Despite occupying less than 1 per cent of the Earth’s landmass, cities produce at least 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. They also create over half of the planet’s waste, including around 288 million tonnes of plastic waste. As we mark World Environment Day 2025, we must consider how we can reimagine our cities to protect and restore nature, reduce pollution, and ensure the well-being of urban communities.

The UN Environment Programme’s Generation Restoration Cities project aims to build momentum for urban restoration efforts and has selected eleven ‘Role Model Cities’ from across the globe. One of these is the historic city of Yangzhou, located in China’s eastern Jiangsu province, on the northern banks of the Yangtze River. With a high waste footprint due to its population of 4.6 million and a location prone to flooding, the city has faced its fair share of challenges, but has implemented a range of initiatives to cut plastic waste pollution, enhance management of urban waterways and restore degraded areas.

UNEP-WCMC has been working with the city and the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to provide support for the city's restoration strategy. Our Head of Regional Engagement Han Meng and Programme Officer Julieta Lahud met with senior officials from across Yangzhou’s major government departments to find out more about their restoration activities and their plans for the future.

What ecological, social and environmental challenges is the city of Yangzhou facing?
Urban expansion is an important element of Yangzhou’s development plan, but the city has recognized that there is a need to balance these ambitions with the protection of nature.

Waste management is a key issue for the city, across households, agriculture and construction. Pressures on water resources and ecosystems are another major source of concern, with flooding, fluctuating water quality and supply, and poor waterway connectivity being some of the main challenges that the city faces.

Yangzhou is increasing investment in urban restoration programmes, but has to overcome a number of socio-economic barriers to enhance the impacts of these programmes. For example, there is a lack of diverse finance channels for restoration: projects are financed primarily through government funds, and it remains difficult to attract private investment. There are conflicting priorities between biodiversity conservation and development of municipal functions, and attracting social capital for biodiversity conservation projects is another obstacle – public participation in environmental programmes remains low.

How can urban restoration approaches help overcome these challenges and support biodiversity?
Systemic and innovative solutions are required to overcome the challenges the city faces in terms of sustainable development. Yangzhou promotes cross-sectoral cooperation among its government, businesses and conservation organizations to drive urban restoration forward.

The city has made considerable efforts to designate protected areas for biodiversity and construct ecological corridors to ensure the free movement of migratory species. At the same time, comprehensive land restoration projects are enhancing the overall quality of ecosystems in the city. Yangzhou's 140,000 hectares of natural wetlands account for 21 per cent of its overall land area and provide vital habitat for around 1,700 species, including over 300 species of birds. The city has built five biodiversity observatories, where a smart monitoring platform is used to measure species dynamics and enhance the efficiency of conservation efforts.

Yangzhou has had notable success in reducing plastic waste pollution. Could you tell us more about the city’s initiatives in this area?
Plastic pollution control has been an area of particular focus in Yangzhou, and a comprehensive strategy has been developed to ‘close the loop’ through the ‘No Plastic in Nature’ programme, in collaboration with the WWF. Guangling District’s ‘Beizhou Three Towns’ was selected as a pilot area and a 30 per cent reduction in plastic waste pollution was achieved within two years.

Other initiatives have been rolled out across the city. For example, green pest control methods and the trialling of new agricultural films in vegetable farming have led to a significant decrease in plastic residue in soil. In the pilot area, a points-based recycling reward system was introduced for farmers, recovering 8,000 tonnes of plastic mulching film and chemical fertilizer packaging annually.

The Yangzhou Postal Administration has launched a green governance initiative for express packaging, promoting the use of electronic shipping labels and narrow-width tape. Incentives have been introduced to encourage less wasteful practices in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and non-biodegradable plastic bags are being phased out in shopping centres and supermarkets. Meanwhile, a comprehensive media campaign has increased public awareness of the issue, and community events such as litter-picking jogs have proven effective.

Plastic waste sorting is facilitated through recycling bins, smart recycling machines and on-demand home pickup services. Additionally, six sanitation complexes with plastic storage and sorting functions have been built. Yangzhou has also increased investment in end-of-life waste treatment facilities, where non-recyclable plastic waste is converted into energy.

Could you tell us about some of the successful urban restoration programmes being explored in Yangzhou, and how nature-based solutions have been incorporated into these?
A key nature-based solution in Yangzhou is the ‘sponge city’ concept. This approach to flood management focuses on imitating natural processes to absorb floodwater like a sponge, rather than using artificial materials to repel it and carry it away. Eco-friendly materials and vegetation are used to stabilize riverbanks and regular ecological dredging balances pollution control with the protection of biodiversity.

The restoration of Yangzhou’s Old Canal shows how sponge city concepts can bring economic as well as ecological benefits. By incorporating traditional landscaping techniques, the project transformed the area, introducing new permeable pavements and 15 ‘rain gardens’. Pollution was reduced and more than 800,000 cubic metres of rainwater absorbed, and the area also became a cultural and recreation destination, with over 2 million tourists visiting each year.

A range of other restoration initiatives have been explored in Yangzhou, including the construction of ecological corridors, extensive wetland development, roof ‘greening’ schemes and the redevelopment of landfill and industrial sites into multi-functional parks and eco-composting sites.

What monitoring methods and tools have been used to measure the impact of Yangzhou’s urban restoration and waste management projects?
Yangzhou uses a range of remote sensing and spatial monitoring tools to track and measure the impacts of restoration and waste management projects. For example:

The Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning integrates geographical data with the help of a spatial information platform and uses satellite remote sensing images to decipher and analyze land use changes and vegetation coverage. GIS technology and three-dimensional modelling are used to evaluate the impacts of ecological restoration in terms of ecological corridor connectivity and habitat integrity.

The Yangzhou Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment uses online monitoring equipment to track real-time environmental data such as air and water quality. It monitors changes in the distribution of solid waste with the help of satellite remote sensing and aerial drone photography, and carries out regular surveys on soil quality and biodiversity. The Bureau has also explored the application of Gross Ecosystem Product to evaluate the benefits of urban restoration projects.

The Municipal Governance Bureau relies on a smart management platform to supervise all aspects of household waste, from drop-off and collection to transportation and disposal. 

How does being a Role Model City within the UNEP Generation Restoration Cities programme help Yangzhou achieve its sustainable development goals?
Being recognized as a Role Model City has helped Yangzhou build momentum and galvanize efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals. The city has been able to improve its model of collaborative waste management, upgrade ecological buffer zones and enhance the stability of ecosystems. The recognition has also enabled Yangzhou to deepen the research and monitoring of biodiversity protection, strengthen its influence in conservation planning and build environmental regulatory capacity. The city has started to compile research and is drafting technical guidelines based on the experiences gained from restoration initiatives, and looks forward to sharing these with other cities in China as well as internationally.

What is your vision for what it will be like to live in Yangzhou by 2030?
Yangzhou has set ambitious goals for 2030 on pollution control (particularly plastic pollution), climate change adaptation and conservation of biodiversity. We aspire to be a leading light in China as a zero-waste city, and hope to inspire other cities across the world through our restoration initiatives.

We hope to see the observation and protection of biodiversity greatly improved, with vital habitats conserved and native species such as the iconic finless porpoise thriving. We envisage a city that is adapted to climate change and resilient in the face of extreme weather, with 70 per cent of rainwater being reclaimed and used within built-up areas, and water levels secured across our rivers and lakes. Engagement is key, and we would like to reach a stage where at least 95 per cent of residents are sorting their waste, and the recycling rate exceeds 40 per cent.

We believe that the future Yangzhou will be an international, liveable city where people and nature co-exist harmoniously, and where both the environment and the economy flourish.