The city of Ordos in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region is making remarkable strides in establishing a national innovation demonstration zone for sustainable development.

This ambitious endeavor aims to forge a new path for sustainable development in ecologically vulnerable resource-based areas and underdeveloped regions with limited innovation resources, placing a strong emphasis on innovation and environmental consciousness.

The Ordos zone is planned to have a total area of 86,800 square kilometers. The planned Ordos zone will cover two districts and seven banners.

With the theme of "desertification prevention and green development," the construction of the zone will prioritize enhancing the quality and efficiency of desertification prevention and control measures, promoting the innovative and efficient utilization of water resources, accelerating the high-quality development of modern energy economy, improving the agricultural, animal husbandry, and rural tourism sectors, and driving overall development through innovation.

Since 2012, Ordos has made substantial achievements in combating desertification. It has successfully controlled more than 18 million mu (1.2 million hectares) of desertified land and spearheaded more than 290 scientific and technological innovations in sand control. These efforts have earned the city accolades such as "National Forest City" and "China's Most Ecologically Competitive City," underscoring its commitment to environmental preservation and sustainable land management.

Ordos has also made significant progress in developing a modern energy economy in recent years. The city accounts for one-fifth of the country's coal production, with an annual output of over 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas. It boasts an installed power capacity of 37 million kilowatts and a modern coal chemical production capacity of 20 million tons.

Ordos has also built the world's first zero-carbon industrial park, showcasing its dedication to eco-friendly industrial practices.