To fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and in accordance with the Regulations on Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection, the Central Third Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Team (hereinafter referred to as the Inspection Team) conducted the third round of inspection in Sichuan Province, encompassing both river basin and province-wide assessments. On December 20, 2024, the inspection report was reviewed and approved at the fifth meeting of the 20th Central Leading Group for Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection. Upon approval by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the Inspection Team conveyed its feedback to the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province on January 10, 2025. Fu Zhifang, the head of the Inspection Team, briefed on the inspection report. Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, delivered a statement. Shi Xiaolin, Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, chaired the meeting. Zhai Qing, deputy head of the Inspection Team, along with other team members, relevant leaders from the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province, persons in charge from pertinent departments, and principal leaders of municipal (prefectural) Party committees and governments, among others, attended the meeting.

The Inspection Team acknowledges that Sichuan Province has diligently implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, steadfastly acted on the important speeches and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, demonstrated significant efforts in strengthening the ecological shield along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, and advanced high-quality economic development and high-standard environmental conservation in a coordinated manner. These efforts have been carried out with remarkable intensity, resulting in substantial accomplishments.

Sichuan Province remains committed to General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest entrustment to excel in the comprehensive endeavor of ecological conservation, effectively assuming its political responsibility in advancing ecological civilization initiative. In the Chishui River basin, 124 hydropower stations have been decommissioned. Ongoing measures are being implemented to enhance the preservation of ancient trees in Cuiyun Corridor and to consolidate the progress made in rectifying the ecological damage caused by the Bayi Power Station in Jinchuan County. The water quality at the national monitoring Huanglongxi section in the Jinjiang River basin has consistently met the Grade III standard for four years in a row.

Sichuan Province has been actively promoting its eco-environmental governance and conservation work. An ecological red line has been established, encompassing 148,600 square kilometers, which constitutes 30.59 percent of the province's total area. The forest coverage rate and the comprehensive vegetation coverage of grasslands have achieved 35.7 percent and 82.6 percent, respectively. The construction of the Giant Panda National Park is progressing with high quality, and there is a proactive effort underway to establish the Ruogai National Park. There is an intensified push to build a clean energy base. The province's installed capacity of clean energy sources now accounts for 86.7 percent of the total installed capacity for electricity generation. The water quality in the mainstreams of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers (Sichuan section) has consistently met or exceeded Grade II standards, and the overall quality of the soil environment remains stable.

Sichuan has been consistently improving its institutional framework for ecological civilization. The province has issued a series of important documents, including the Strategic Planning Outline for the Beautiful Sichuan Initiative (2022-2035), formulated or revised nine local laws and regulations, such as the Sichuan Provincial Protection Regulations on Chishui River Basin, introduced 11 local standards to address issues like the discharge of water pollutants from aquaculture, established a cross-basin ecological protection compensation mechanism for rivers like the Chishui and Jialing, and pioneered to explore mechanisms for realizing the value of ecological products in 13 cities (prefectures).

Sichuan Province attaches great importance to this round of inspection. It follows the principle of immediate rectification and simultaneous improvement during the inspection process, facilitating the resolution of numerous prominent ecological and environmental issues. By the end of November 2024, all 6,051 public complaint issues that the Inspection Team handed over to the province had been either fully or partially addressed.

The Inspection Team noted that while Sichuan Province has made significant progress in ecological civilization construction and environmental protection, there are still shortcomings in its efforts to align with General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directives and requirements for Sichuan's ecological civilization initiative, the province's critical responsibilities in development and conservation, and the people's high expectations. Some prominent ecological and environmental issues require urgent resolution.

First, there is a gap in practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Certain localities and departments fail to fully and uncompromisingly implement laws, policies, and deployment decisions. There is a lack of sufficient coordination and planning in advancing their work, and their work conduct lacks the necessary rigor and effectiveness. Enforcement of regulations and policies for protecting the Yangtze River falls short of what is needed. In some areas, unauthorized chemical projects have been constructed within a one-kilometer range along the banks of the Fujiang River, a second-order tributary of the Yangtze River, and illegal tailings impoundments have been built in the riverway of the river's first-order tributary. Relevant provincial departments have not exercised sufficient rigor and diligence in the identification and review processes for chemical industrial parks. Guangyuan City has violated regulations by including riverine floodplain areas within the scope of urban development and construction, with some portions already utilized for project development.

The production capacity replacement policy is ineffectively enforced. Capacity replacement has not been executed in some flat glass projects. Several regions have failed to effectively implement the policy of reducing brick and tile production capacity through replacement measures, with significant non-compliance issues arising during the replacement process.

The work style is not thorough or rigorous enough. Some localities did not pay sufficient attention to the investigation and treatment of black and fetid urban water bodies. They have neither conducted necessary inquiries, clean-ups, and mandatory reporting nor have they implemented serious rectification measures, which has resulted in significant public dissatisfaction.

There are deficiencies in the rectification work. Issues highlighted in the ecological environment warning film of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, such as illegal mining activities, have not been effectively addressed. Certain problems identified through public complaints and proposals have yet to be properly rectified.

Second, there are weaknesses in the ecological protection of the upper Yangtze River. Some localities and departments are ineffective in their oversight responsibilities, leading to persistent problems in areas such as ecological protection, restoration, and riverbank management. In some regions, illegal encroachment on forest land and deforestation are prevalent, destroying public benefit forests.

Despite bans, riverbank destruction persists. In some areas, the removal and rectification of illegal projects along the Yangtze River's mainstream are insufficient. Sand and gravel companies have encroached upon the banks of the Jialing River's mainstream and its tributaries. The Dada River banks have been invaded by the illegal dumping of solid waste, which has further obstructed the river channel.

The natural reserves are not well protected. Nanhe National Wetland Park is grappling with a prominent issue of direct sewage discharge. Some provincial-level wetland parks and nature reserves face illegal encroachment. The protection efforts at the Zhougong River Provincial Nature Reserve for Rare Fish in Ya'an City are inadequate, with a notable shortfall in the release of ecological flows, which is negatively impacting the habitat of rare fish species.

The oversight on mine restoration is not strict enough. The restoration work at some mines is merely superficial.

Third, deficiencies remain in the critical battle against pollution. Some departments and localities in Sichuan Province have weak links in their work on pollution prevention and control. In 2023, the number of heavy pollution days in Luzhou City increased by six days compared to the previous year; Neijiang City saw a 24.6 percent increase in PM2.5 concentration year on year; and Leshan City has experienced a three-year consecutive rise in PM2.5 levels. The pollution rectification measures in industries such as glass and coking are not rigorously enforced. Some testing and maintenance units have been found to engage in fraudulent practices, and the emergency response measures for heavy pollution weather are inadequately implemented.

The collection and treatment of urban domestic sewage are not adequately addressed. Yibin City has a serious shortage in its capacity for urban domestic sewage collection, leading to substantial sewage discharge into the external environment via storm drains. Sewage overflow is also a significant issue in some cities.

The capacity for solid waste disposal is inadequate. Sichuan Province and several of its cities (prefectures) have not formulated work plans for preventing and controlling environmental pollution caused by construction waste. Some cities have yet to set up waste-to-resource processing facilities. Some localities illegally pile up construction waste and, in some cases, improperly store industrial solid waste.

Industrial parks exhibit deficiencies in pollution control and governance. In several parks, the upgrading and transformation of sewage treatment facilities are advancing at a slow pace, and the inspection and rectification of sewage networks are not being carried out in a timely manner, leading to a large amount of industrial wastewater overflowing into Jiu Long Creek. Additionally, some enterprises settled in parks lack adequate environmental management, giving rise to prominent issues of direct sewage discharge and leaks.

Fourth, there are additional significant ecological and environmental issues. Environmental risks and potential hazards cannot be overlooked. Province-wide, 13 tailings impoundments, inactive for more than three years, have yet to complete closure as required. Some impoundments unused for extended periods have not finished closure procedures, while certain closed tailings impoundments still pose ongoing environmental hazards. Pollution prevention and control measures at certain landfill sites, fly ash landfill areas, and coal ash storage yards are not effectively implemented.

Corporate Illegal activities related to environmental protection occur frequently. Some companies operate without adequate pollution treatment facilities, secretly discharge wastewater, and contaminate their surrounding environments.

The Inspection Team required that Sichuan Province should thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully act on the guiding principles from the 20th CPC National Congress and the third and second plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, deliver on the spirit of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, and aim to achieve new breakthroughs in strengthening eco-environmental governance and other aspects. Efforts should be accelerated to drive a green transition in all areas of economic and social development, enhance territorial spatial administration and negative list management, promote the construction of Giant Panda National Park with higher requirements, pursue blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil with higher benchmarks, and prevent and defuse environmental risks and latent dangers. Work should be done to effectively address the prominent ecological and environmental issues that are of deep concern to the public. In cases of neglecting duty and responsibility, the relevant departments are required to conduct further in-depth investigations, clearly determine liabilities, and enforce rigorous, targeted and effective accountability measures.

The Inspection Team emphasized that the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province should, in line with the inspection report and the requirements of the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Rectification Measures, promptly formulate a rectification plan, which should be submitted to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council within 45 working days. The rectification plan and its implementation should be disclosed to the public in accordance with relevant regulations.

The Inspection Team has also compiled a list of issues concerning accountability for ecological and environmental damage identified during the inspection. In line with relevant regulations, these issues have been transferred to the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province for appropriate action.