The State Council has approved establishing a national innovation demonstration zone for sustainable development in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong province, according to a circular released on Feb 24.

Shenzhen is expected to pioneer the way for large cities’ sustainable development by establishing the zone, the circular stated.

The demonstration zone should be established based on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and China’s national plan of implementation, according to the circular.

According to the circular, Shenzhen should integrate technologies in sewage treatment, waste utilization, ecological restoration, and artificial intelligence to solve issues on limited resource environmental bearing and social management.

It also urged the city to carry out projects in resources utilization, ecological management, and modern social governance to accumulate replicable experiences for other megacities in sustainable development.

The Ministry of Science and Technology and related departments should offer support to the city, and help solve key issues, the circular stated.