Ordos, a key energy hub in China, is pioneering green transformation through coordinated pollution and carbon reduction efforts.

At the end of 2023, Ordos and two of its industrial parks – Otog High-tech Industrial Development Zone and Sulige Economic Development Zone – were selected among China’s first batch of pilot cities and industrial zones for pollution and carbon reduction innovation.

From 2024 to 2026, the pilot program aims to establish best practices for balancing industrial growth with environmental responsibility.

Since the initiative's launch, Ordos has implemented key projects to promote pollution and carbon reduction. The city has introduced policies to enhance management innovation, initiated the collection of advanced technologies and case studies, and pursued coordinated control of multiple greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane.

Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in energy structure transformation, industrial technology upgrades, green transportation alternatives, environmental improvements, and the monetization of ecological value, gradually forming the "Ordos Model" for pollution and carbon reduction innovation.

Ordos continues to enhance its green and low-carbon industrial landscape. The added value of its new energy equipment manufacturing sector has surged by 261.3 percent, contributing to a comprehensive and sustainable hydrogen energy ecosystem. The city has surpassed 20 million kilowatts in installed renewable energy capacity, accounting for over 35 percent of its total power generation.

From "high energy consumption" to "high value", Ordos is carving a new path in industrial innovation. The city is fostering 18 key industrial chains, including new energy heavy trucks and green hydrogen production. Projects integrating modern coal chemistry with green hydrogen, as well as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), have been steadily put into operation.

The transition from "diesel-driven" to "hydrogen-electric hybrid" is taking shape in the transportation sector. Demonstration projects such as dedicated railway transport lines, hydrogen-powered vehicles, new energy mining trucks, and autonomous freight transport have been deployed. Ordos has also become a national leader in developing a demonstration base for hydrogen-powered heavy trucks.

Moving from "end-of-pipe treatment" to "coordinated management", Ordos is optimizing its environmental governance system to achieve a synergy between pollution and carbon reduction.

The city has established a pioneering mechanism linking pollution control with carbon reduction. Its air quality remains above 90 percent in terms of good air days. Energy consumption per unit of GDP and carbon intensity have dropped by 18.2 percent and 9 percent, respectively, marking a historic shift toward energy efficiency and low-carbon economic growth.

Ordos is also exploring the potential of ecological restoration and value regeneration, implementing landmark projects such as the northern edge forest belt of the Kubuqi Desert and the "Photovoltaic Great Wall" sand control project.

The Kubuqi Desert ecological governance model integrates environmental, economic, and social benefits and has become a global benchmark for sustainable desertification control.