Special Issue on Rebuilding a Healthy Yangtze: Advancing Science and Technology Innovation and Paradigm Transformation for Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development

On January 5, 2016, President Xi Jinping chaired a symposium in Chongqing on advancing the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, calling for efforts "to step up conservation of the Yangtze River and stop its over development". Over the past decade, this guiding philosophy has shaped the strategic direction and implementation of the development across the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Notable progress has been achieved in the conservation and restoration of Yangtze River Basin’s ecological environment, leading to a series of outcomes in technological innovation, policy implementation, and systematic governance.

To review the research progress, practical experience, and policy effectiveness of Yangtze River conservation and restoration over the past decade, and to explore and map green and high-quality development pathways ahead for the Yangtze River Basin, Water & Ecology, in collaboration with its co-sponsor China Three Gorges Corporation and the National Joint Research Center for Yangtze River Conservation, has planned a special issue titled "Rebuilding a Healthy Yangtze: Advancing Science and Technology Innovation and Paradigm Transformation for Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development". This special issue is launched by Dianchang Wang, a member of the Editorial Board of Water & Ecology and the Executive Vice President of China Three Gorges Corporation; Professor Yonghui Song, Deputy Director of the National Joint Research Center for Yangtze River Conservation and Chief Scientist of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences; and Wei Yin, Deputy Director of the National Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Topics

The special issue will focus on topics including water ecological integrity assessment, water environmental risk prevention and control, ecological restoration, green governance technologies, intelligent supervision platforms, and green development strategies. Through this special issue, we look forward to jointly envisioning a new blueprint for a "Healthy, Green, Low-Carbon, AI-Powered, and Technology-Driven Yangtze River." This special issue encourages interdisciplinary and multi-scale systematic studies focusing on, but not limited to, the following research areas:

Assessment and monitoring of water ecological integrity

Risk assessment and control of water ecological environment risks

Green, low-carbon governance and ecological restoration technologies

Green development strategies and collaborative governance

Smart decision-making and regulatory platform development

Innovative pathways and practical applications for water ecological environment governance

Schedule

Submission Deadline: June 1 2026

Anticipated article types: Research Articles, Reviews, Case Studies, Perspectives, Short Communications, etc.

Article Waiver %: 100%

Guest editor

Dianchang Wang, China Three Gorges Corporation, China.

Email: wang_dianchang@ctg.com.cn

Yonghui Song, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, China

Email: songyh@craes.org.cn

Wei Yin, National Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China 

Email: yin_wei1@ctg.com.cn

Submission guidelines

Journal Website：www.water-ecology.cn

Submission System：https://www.editorialmanager.com/wateco/default2.aspx ( select “VSI: Rebuilding a Healthy Yangtze”)

Consulting E-mail: we@rcees.ac.cn