SCENIC Chongming Island, the gateway to the Yangtze River, calls itself an ecological island of 600,000 that aims to balance environmental protection with sustainable development.

Developers across the Changjiang Tunnel-Bridge in Shanghai, a city of over 20 million, are poised to swoop down on the island and build "green" luxury hotels and luxury housing in "green" communities for urbanites eager to get away to greener, calmer climes.

But the island county is moving cautiously, eager for both the right kind of sustainable development and the preservation and enhancement of its seaside, forests, fields and streams.

It aims to become an island of environmental and urban innovation, where residential, commercial, light industrial, technological and leisure developments are carefully planned, with plenty of green space and buffers.

Last week on August 28, international and domestic experts came together in Shanghai for the fourth international forum on Chongming, "World Eco Island - Green Economy and Sustainable Development."

The forum was co-hosted by the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission and the government of Chongming County. It was supported by China's Ministry of Science and Technology, the United Nations Environment Program and the World Wide Fund for Nature. It was organized by Shanghai Tongji University and other organizations. Both experts and business developers shared their views.

Now that it has been connected by a tunnel-bridge (and another bridge is planned) to the mainland, largely agricultural Chongming is expected to play an important role in Shanghai's development. The city released a "construction outline" for Chongming as an eco-island in January 2010. In March that year, Chongming was designated as a national experimental area for sustainable development.

Chongming focuses on low-carbon approaches to developing a sustainable economy and various projects have been implemented.

Reclamation, protection and monitoring projects are underway, such as reclamation of the 300-hectare Xisha Wetland. The Dongtan and Xisha wetlands, where migrating birds spend the winter, have become a scientific and education center.

Projects are also improving and maintaining water quality and keeping beaches, riverbanks and surrounding areas clean and attractive - Chongming's unspoiled scenery is a major attraction.

Experts and builders are improving the low-carbon environment of residential communities, notably Gangyan Town, site of a centralized biogas supply demonstration project.

"After three years, the project has been expanded to 20 other places in Chongming, providing 12,000 households with biogas as a direct fuel source," says Lu Xiaochun, deputy director of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

The technical system for residential eco-environment construction is also getting improved, Lu adds.

Chenjia Town's 5,100-square-meter eco-building also demonstrates the technology. The renovation of 50 rural houses and construction of 32 new buildings as well as a 200,000-square-meter Yu'an Community all show the efforts Chongming takes to accomplish the goal of building complexes that's green and low in energy consumption.

In terms of industrial ecology, Chongming develops eco-efficient agriculture and conducts genetic resources conservation.

Tourism is also an important part as Chongming develops its green ecological economy. Several scenic spots are being completed for leisure traveling, including the Riverside Sports Park. And Chongming has been hosting the Tour of Chongming Island UCI Women's Road World Cup competition since 2010.

Chongming also promotes green transport and takes efforts to utilize green energy. Projects of wind-powered electricity and solar energy are examples of pushing forward the popularization of clean energy.

To achieve the goals of building Chongming into a world class eco-island with healthy natural and harmonious ecology, scientific guidance and instructions are necessary in addition besides the overall planning, says Lu.

"We've formulated the Index System for the Construction of Chongming Eco-island in compliance with the international eco-construction concepts, aiming at guiding the direction, regulating the acts and controlling the process of the construction," Lu explains.

The system covers five areas - social harmony, economic development, friendly environment, ecological civilization and scientific management.

Chongming also formulated the 12th Five-Year Plan for the Scientific and Technological Development of eco-island, further clarifying that science and technology will offer important support to achieve of the construction goals of Chongming Eco-island.

Wu Jiang, a professor from Tongji University, talks about the development of Chongming in the perspective of Shanghai master plan in city planning: "By 2020, the city's development goals are to preliminarily build Shanghai into one of the world's economic, financial, trade and shipping centers, to further promote joint development of Yangtze River delta and Yangtze River economic zone."

The ecological environmental plan will emphasize on improving the urban landscape.

However, Chongming still faces challenges and problems in natural ecology, such as ecosystem degradation, wetland area reduction and biodiversity decline. The agricultural pollutions and drinking water sources also raises problems.

The economy and urban-rural dual system also makes employment an issue on the island and requires further efforts to develop eco and smart communities.

In the future, Chongming will focus on tasks in natural and development balance, scientific technology demonstration and evaluation as well as transform and promote the application of technologies, taking a low-carbon, recycling, smart and livable approach in building Chongming into a national experimental zone of sustainable development and United Nations Environment Program Eco-demonstration Zone.

Chongming has been learning the advanced technology from countries abroad. Currently they have 20 projects with participation of foreign scientists, covering fields as environment governing and eco-restoration.

And with the platform of the Chongming Eco-island Forum, the island expanded signed agreements with international corporations and established the "international network for the construction of Chongming eco-island."

At the forum this year, experts from other countries also shared their ideas and experiences.

Ronald M. Thom from Marine Sciences Laboratory in the United States presented the research on Wetland Restoration in the lower Columbia River and Estuary, and the carbon capture potential of restored coastal ecosystems.

Thom also shared some recommendations for Chongming, including "restore the 'integrity' of the ecosystem as much as possible, then engineer solutions as needed to meet goals" and "adjust decisions about actions to improve success using directed monitoring and research."

The partnership of Chongming with international organizations and corporations is positive and necessary. Communicating with experts abroad and borrow useful advice is key in the development.

David Osborn, coordinator of ecosystem management at United Nations Environment Programme, ended his presentation with one of his favorite quotes.

"If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together."