Once known as "fog city", Chongqing has a greater number of clear days than previous years. SU SI/FOR CHINA DAILY
被誉为“雾都”的重庆，今年的晴天天数比往年更多。/苏思供图
Chongqing was known as "fog city" in the 1980s and '90s when it suffered through more than 100 days of heavy air pollution every year.
重庆在上世纪80年代和90年代被称为“雾都”，当时每年会遭遇超过100天的严重空气污染。
But the municipality's 30 million residents are now enjoying a greater number of clear days due to government efforts in recent years to improve environmental protection. Last year, the air quality index showed 316 days of the year were either "good" or "moderate".
但由于政府近年来加大了环境保护的力度，重庆市的3000万居民现在享受着更多的晴朗天气。去年的空气质量指数显示，一年中有316天的天气为“优”或“良好”。
During his inspection tour of Chongqing in 2016, President Xi Jinping urged the municipality to become a pleasant place with clear water and green mountains.
在习近平主席2016年视察重庆期间，他要求重庆成为山清水秀美丽之地。
The quality of water running through Chongqing is not only important to the city itself, but also many other parts of the country.
流经重庆的长江水质不仅对这座城市本身重要，也对国内许多别的地区十分重要。
The Yangtze, the world's third-longest river, flows 6,300 kilometers from the glaciers of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau eastward through Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing before reaching the East China Sea at Shanghai.
世界第三长河流———长江，从青藏高原的冰川向东流经重庆、武汉和南京，流经6300公里后到达上海, 汇入东海。
More than 400 million people get their drinking water from the river, and water security has become a major issue in China's development.
全国4亿多人从长江获得饮用水，水资源安全已成为关乎中国发展的重大问题。
With 691 km of the Yangtze River running through the municipality, Chongqing has made environmental protection a priority, concentrating on ecological restoration and protection and avoiding large-scale development.
重庆境内的长江绵延691公里，当地政府已将环境保护作为重中之重，注重生态恢复与保护，并避免大规模开发。
Chongqing has built an "ecological red line" around 2.04 million hectares of land to strengthen environmental protection. The red zones？, approved early last year by China's cabinet for 15 provincial-level regions, can be developed as long as environmental functions are not harmed.
重庆已建成占地约204万公顷的“生态红线”地区，以加强环境保护。由中国国务院于去年年初批准的15个省级区域的生态红线区域，只要不损害环境功能，就可供开发。
The zones cover nature reserves, scenic areas, forest parks, geological parks and wetlands.
生态红线区包括自然保护区、风景名胜区、森林公园、地质公园和湿地。
In order to reduce water pollution and soil erosion on the upper reaches of the Yangtze, Chongqing is also looking at ways to solve drainage problems.
为了减少长江上游的水质污染和水土流失，重庆也正在寻找解决城市排水问题的方法。
Yuelai New City in the Liangjiang New Area development zone is one of 16"sponge cities" taking part in a program testing climate-resilient urban designs.
两江新区的悦来新城是16个参与了气候适应性城市设计测试项目的“海绵城市”试点城市之一。
To prevent flooding, sponge cities store rainwater and release it during times of drought or for irrigation and cleaning.
为了防止洪水泛滥，海绵城市储存雨水，并在干旱或灌溉和清洁时将其排放。
Clean water initiatives are already showing results. Last year, all 64 major water sources in Chongqing's urban areas met the national standard required for drinking water.
当地清洁水质计划已经初见成效。去年，重庆市主城区64个主要水源均达到国家饮用水标准。
The local government has opted for green development in recent years and rejected more than 780 projects due to harmful environment impacts. Forty-eight percent of Chongqing municipality is now covered with trees, compared with only 32 percent in 2005.
近年来，当地政府选择了绿色发展，并因环境原因否决了780多个项目。如今，重庆市植被覆盖率达48%，而2005年仅32%。
The development zone once rejected a 3 billion yuan ($434.8 million) project because it failed the environment impact evaluation. It decided the glass-material production project would emit dangerous gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxygen, which could not be treated.
重庆两江新区曾因未通过环境影响测评而否决了30亿元（4.348亿美元）的玻璃材料生存项目。该项目将排放二氧化硫、氮氧等无法处理的污染气体。
As the pioneer and model of Chongqing's sustainable development, the new area has strictly followed the green path. Last year, it halted 20 projects due to environmental concerns.
作为重庆可持续发展的先锋和模范，两江新区严格走绿色发展道路。去年，出于对环境的担忧，新区暂停了20个项目。
"Developing an ecological civilization is one of the major tasks of the new area," said Duan Chenggang, director of the new area's administrative committee. “
“发展生态文明是两江新区的主要任务之一，”重庆市委常委，两江新区党工委书记、管委会主任段成刚说。
"We must make environment protection the top priority of our work and unswervingly adhere to the protection plan."
“我们必须把环境保护作为工作的重中之重，并坚定不移地奉行保护计划。”
