The awards ceremony honoring Zhejiang for its action in protecting the environment, is held in Beijing on Nov 30. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment - based in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province - received a national honor recently for its protection of the environment.

The department was named "Person of the Year of 2018-19 for Green China" at an awards ceremony held in Beijing on Nov 30.

The honor was established in 2005 as China's first-ever government-endorsed environment protection award for individuals.

Among the organizers of the award are the Environment and Resources Protection Commission of the National People's Congress, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, as well as the Population, Resources and Environment Commission of the National Committee of the CPPCC.

"As a national pioneer, Zhejiang has hit on an environment-friendly, high-quality development pathway and it is on the fast track towards ecological civilization," the award citation reads.

To date, a total of 84 persons and groups have received the honor for their outstanding contributions to the country's environment protection cause. The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment was the first recipient, as a department of a provincial-level government.