When ecology becomes an economic engine
Yibin in Sichuan province transformed its polluted Yangtze River into a thriving ecosystem by enforcing the 2020 Yangtze River Protection Law, leading to the return of endangered species like finless porpoises and sturgeons. The city’s shift from heavy industry to clean energy and eco-tourism boosted its economy while restoring biodiversity, proving environmental health can drive growth.
Yibin, a major city along the Yangtze River in Sichuan province, has reversed decades of pollution by turning ecological restoration into an economic driver. Once plagued by chemical waste, illegal dredging, and industrial runoff, the river near Yibin was declared 'fishless' and toxic. After the 2020 Yangtze River Protection Law took effect, the city dismantled illegal docks, relocated polluting plants, and imposed a 10-year fishing ban, sparking initial economic setbacks. The strategy paid off by 2025, when monitored river sections achieved 100% 'excellent' water quality, enabling the natural breeding of endangered Yangtze sturgeons and the return of finless porpoises. Yibin replaced its coal, chemical, and liquor industries with clean energy and digital tech, branding itself as 'China’s power battery capital' to attract green firms. Eco-tourism and wellness industries flourished alongside restored wetlands and bamboo forests, creating jobs and revenue. Locals, including former fishermen, received retraining to transition into sustainable sectors. The city’s 'value reconstruction' approach—linking environmental health to economic growth—proved that conservation could outperform short-term pollution-driven GDP gains. By treating the Yangtze as an economic asset rather than a burden, Yibin demonstrated how strict environmental policies could coexist with industrial evolution. Skeptics who viewed green policies as a financial drain were silenced as the city’s GDP stabilized and new industries emerged. The model now serves as a case study for balancing ecological recovery with economic resilience in China.
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