Lijiang River sees five years of ecological progress

The Lijiang River Ecological and Environmental Quality Index (LJEEQI) has shown a steady increase for five years in a row, highlighting the ongoing success in ecological conservation along the Lijiang River in Guilin in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to a press conference by the region's environmental authorities on April 25.

As the first comprehensive evaluation system in China specifically designed to assess the effectiveness of ecological and environmental conservation in river basins, the LJEEQI evaluates the basin within Guilin's administrative area. It scores across four major categories: ecological quality, environmental quality, eco-friendliness, and environmental security, comprising 11 secondary and 28 tertiary indicators. The results are categorized into four grades: excellent, good, moderate, and poor, providing a scientific, quantitative, and traceable benchmark for Lijiang River protection and management.

Data shows that the LJEEQI reached 87.48 in 2025, rating "excellent" and marking an increase of 0.66 from 2024. From 2021 to 2025, the index were 85.86, 86.45, 86.55, 86.82, and 87.48, respectively, showing a consistent improvement and maintaining the grade of "excellent".

The Lijiang River's ecological environment continues to improve, with better ecological quality, increased vegetation cover, enhanced urban park accessibility, and successful biodiversity conservation. Environmental quality remains stable, with 100 percent compliance in drinking water sources and improving surface water quality.

Eco-friendliness has improved with a 13.5-point increase in rural sewage treatment rates and ongoing initiatives in ecological civilization and green mining.

Environmental security has been strengthened, with hazardous waste utilization rising from 93.4 percent to 99.44 percent, and no significant pollution incidents reported.