Yangtze restoration on this year’s agenda
Print Edition
CHINA has met its annual target for pollution control in 2018, with more blue skies, cleaner waters and greener mountains.
“We have successfully delivered all the obligatory targets set for 2018 and stayed in line with the timetable outlined by the 13th Five-Year (2016-2020) Plan,” Chinese Ecology and Environment Minister Li Ganjie said.
Air quality has continued to improve with 338 major cities reporting good air quality on 79.3 percent of days, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous year.
The density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, dropped by more than 10 percent in 2018 from the previous year in three heavily polluted areas, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
In terms of soil pollution control, Li said the country had reduced solid waste imports by 46.5 percent year on year, finished overhauls of all underperforming garbage power plants, and launched sweeping crackdowns on the illegal transportation and dumping of hazardous waste.
Thorough action has been taken to clean up 1,009 “black and malodorous” water bodies in 36 major cities and 1,586 water sources, Li said, adding that “defense of lucid waters” would be a primary task for 2019.
China has pledged to coordinate its efforts for environmental protection and economic development in 2019.
One of the key challenges is finding ways to engage in pollution treatment without harming productivity.
Local governments must avoid the simple and unscrupulous practices of the past when dealing with environmental problems.
In 2019, China will put the Yangtze River restoration project in full swing, clean up more “black and malodorous” water bodies, achieve environment improvement in the Bohai Sea, and launch a water quality campaign in rural areas, Li said.
The country will also further reduce imports of solid waste and push for better air quality, with better regional coordination and heavy-polluter revamps.
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