Ordos rolls out 12 measures to improve business environment in ecological sector

Ordos city in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has introduced 12 measures to improve its business environment in the ecological and environmental sector, aiming to better support businesses throughout their development and accelerate the city's green transition.

The measures focus on three areas: proactive business support and law enforcement; administrative approvals and resource support; and green transformation and demonstration projects.

To strengthen compliance support, the city will develop environmental protection guidelines for 10 key industries, including coal chemicals and new energy equipment manufacturing. It will also introduce a system that delivers administrative penalty decisions alongside notices on credit repair and environmental compliance.

A more flexible regulatory approach will exempt eligible minor violations from penalties or, where appropriate, reduce them. AI-powered video monitoring will help reduce on-site inspections while improving regulatory efficiency.

To streamline project approvals, Ordos will pilot bundled approvals, exemptions from environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports for selected projects, and the integration of EIA approvals with pollutant discharge permits in 12 industries.

The city will establish green channels for key projects, and a joint review mechanism involving multiple government departments will help accelerate approvals. The city will also promote information sharing in green finance and explore using surplus carbon emission allowances as collateral to expand financing options for businesses.

For green development, the measures support research and commercialization of advanced environmental technologies, grassland and desert carbon-sink pilots, and low-carbon upgrades in industrial parks, enterprises, mining areas, and public institutions.

Ordos will also pilot centralized hazardous-waste collection from auto repair businesses, with a traceable system covering generation, collection, and transportation.