The environmental situation in both China's coastal and inland
areas continues to be a worry, State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA)
Minister Xie Zhenhua warned Thursday.
At a press conference held in Beijing before World Environment
Day, June 4, Xie said the main environmental problems in the
country are the continuing heavy discharge of pollutants, the
nature of pollution changing as new problems arise and the
shrinkage in ecological biodiversity.
According to the SEPA's report on China's pollution problems in
2003, the quality of China's environment changed little in
comparison with the previous year.
Air quality attained the national standard in 142, or 41.7
percent, of the 340 monitored cities, a rise of 7.9 percent?
from 2002. The number of cities with heavy pollution declined 4.4
percent, to 91, or 27.0 percent of monitored cities.
Among the country's seven major rivers, pollution in the Haihe,
Liaohe and Huaihe rivers decreased slightly, but the Songhuajiang
and the Pearl rivers were even more polluted. Listed from the most
to the least polluted, the seven rivers were: Haihe, Liaohe,
Huanghe, Huaihe, Songhuajiang, Yangtze and Pearl.
Pollution of the Yellow Sea shore area was worse, while water
quality of the Bohai and East China seas had improved but was still
heavily polluted. Water quality along the shore of the South China
Sea remained unchanged. Overall, the area of polluted seas dropped
from 174,000 square kilometers in 2002 to 142,000 square
kilometers.
Xie said environmental authorities will promote a circular
economy that is based on the most efficient use of resources and
the most effective protection of the environment.
Companies are encouraged to adopt clean production methods,
while provinces and cities should develop into "eco-provinces" and
"green cities." The people should learn to lead energy-efficient
lives.
Above all, economic polices should encourage recycling and the
reuse of resources, Xie said.
Environmental supervision and management must be strengthened
and the various regions and cities must consider the carrying
capacity of the environment when planning their economic
development, Xie said.
The focus of work will be on major regions that are densely
populated and are experiencing rapid economic development, such as
the "three rivers and three lakes region" around the Huaihe, Haihe
and Liaohe rivers and Taihu, Chaohu and Dianchi lakes. It includes
portions of 11 provinces and Beijing,
Tianjin
and Shanghai
municipalities.
Other efforts will include renovating systems, encouraging
public participation, conducting research, and upgrading the
ability of governments at all levels to protect the
environment.
(China Daily June 4, 2004)