The local government of an Eastern China coastal city won a United Nations Habitat award on Monday for well executed urban planning which has transformed the city into a green home with new housing and infrastructure.

The awardee is the municipal government of Rizhao, a coastal city in Shandong province, Eastern China.

Yang Jun (C), Chairman of Rizhao Municipal People's Congress, receives the United Nations Habitat award in Washington, the United States, Oct. 5, 2009. The local government of eastern China's coastal city Rizhao, won the United Nations Habitat award on Monday for well executed urban planning which has transformed the city into a green home with new housing and infrastructure. [Xinhua]

"Under the banner Planning an Ecological City and Building a Livable Home, the municipal government (of Rizhao) embarked on major improvements starting with infrastructure which saw improvements on roads, parks, town squares, water supplies, drainage, sewage treatment as well as garbage disposal facilities," the UN Habitat said at a ceremony held in downtown Washington D.C. to observe the World Habitat Day on Monday.

In a statement recognizing the achievements of Rizhao, the UN Habitat commended the city for emphasizing clean energy and vigorously promoting the use of solar, methane and wind power.

"Utilization rate of solar power has gone up 99 percent. In recognition of these efforts, Rizhao won the first World Clean Energy Award in 2007, and is still the only city in China to achieve that feat," the UN Habitat said.

Owing to the project of Planning an Ecological City and Building a Livable Home, the UN body said, the local economy has improved and in 2008 the GDP reached 9.66 billion U.S. dollars.

"People's living conditions have improved while the city is still holding dear to the concept of a 'primitive' ecological environment featuring a blue sky, a blue sea and golden beaches."

About a dozen of individuals, local governments and non-governmental organizations from different countries won awards from the UN Habitat at the ceremony held at the gracious and elegant National Building Museum in Washington D.C..

The theme of this year's observance of World Habitat Day is Planning our Urban Future, which is designed to underscore the urgency of meeting the needs of city dwellers in a rapidly urbanizing world.