SHANGHAI will impose a stricter environmental standard on Chongming Island than other districts to create a “world-class ecological island.”

The city government yesterday submitted a guideline to the standing committee of Shanghai’s legislative body for approval as a legal guarantee for the establishment of Chongming ecological island.

“The island, which lies near the mouth of the Yangtze, accounts for 40 percent of the city’s total ecologic resources, but its ecological environment remains fragile,” Sun Jiwei, deputy secretary general of Shanghai government said in a report to the committee.

The guideline stipulates a tougher standard for Chongming on pollutant emissions than elsewhere in the city. It also calls for stepping up improvements on the island’s water, air and soil.

A stricter restriction on vehicles will be carried out. Only green energy vehicles will be allowed to drive freely across the island in a bid to improve air quality.

Local authorities will severely crack down on environment-related offences and on any hunting of wild animals, the guideline said.

Chongming is China’s third largest island after Taiwan and Hainan, and accounts for 20 percent of the city’s total territory. The city government aims to develop Chongming into a “world-class ecological island” by 2020.

To achieve the goal, the guideline noted the population and land for development will be strictly controlled on the island’s ambition to become a “forest on the sea” and “flower island.”

The population will be kept to about 700,000 by 2020 and the average income of the island’s inhabitants will be increased, the guideline said.