Li declares war on pollution
Print Edition
Premier Li Keqiang “declared war” on pollution yesterday and pledged to fight it with the same determination the country battled poverty. Choking smog had become a major environmental and health concern.
The government will take strong measures to prevent and control pollution with the focus on mega cities and regions with frequent occurrence of smog, Li said in his government work report to the National People’s Congress.
The government will start by reducing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions, and focus on improving the industrial structure, raising energy efficiency, reducing vehicle exhaust emissions, and preventing and monitoring wind-borne dust, Li said.
Miao Xuegang, an NPC deputy and head of the environmental protection department of east China’s Anhui Province, said Li’s declaration was “a letter of commitment from the government.”
Non-fossil fuel power would be boosted while capacity would be cut in the steel and cement sectors. These were the main sources of air pollution, Li said.
China plans to cut 27 million tons of outdated steel capacity this year, and there would be a reduction of some 42 million tons in cement production.
“Smog is affecting large parts of China and environmental pollution has become a major problem, which is nature’s warning against inefficient and blind development,” Li said.
A total of 50,000 small coal-fired furnaces will be shut this year and cleaning technologies introduced at coal-burning power plants, Li said.
Six million high-emission vehicles will be taken off the road, and cleaner diesel provided nationwide.
The government will also implement a clean water action plan, strengthen the protection of drinking water sources, prevent and control pollution in key river basins, and carry out land restoration.
Ai Nanshan, a professor at Sichuan University, said the government shoulders a major responsibility in dealing with pollution. Local officials would have no desire to tackle pollution if gross domestic product remained a solely important element in evaluating their performance, Ai said.
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