Shanxi industrial city fights to earn green credentials
Print Edition
MORE than a decade from the humiliation of being labeled the world’s most polluted city, coal-rich Linfen is waging a war on air pollution and even trying to turn itself into a green city.
Factories that let out fumes and polluted rivers and soil, have been forced to close or move.
The coal industry has been upgraded through the closing of small collieries and merging of larger ones. Coal-replacement programs have been promoted in downtown areas. Official promotions are now tied to environmental protection performance.
It’s hard to strike a balance between coal-fueled economic development and environmental protection, but Linfen is making progress. Located in north China’s Shanxi Province, Linfen is a resource-reliant city. The reserves of coal and iron ore reached 39.8 billion tons and 420 million tons, respectively.
The rich resources have brought serious pollution. On its worst days, heavy smog and industrial dust penetrated every corner of the city — a scene usually associated with volcanic eruptions.
In the 2000s, foreign media named Linfen as China’s coal-rich answer to England’s Black Country area in the industrial revolution. Linfen was also listed as the most polluted city for three consecutive years from 2003 to 2005, among 113 monitored cities in China.
“People felt difficult to breathe on seriously polluted days, the air was full of pungent smells, and the visibility was too low to drive,” recalled Du Xiaofeng, a retired official in Linfen.
In its most prosperous days, Linfen’s gross domestic product ranked first and industrial added value ranked fourth among 11 cities in Shanxi. As more polluting plants were forced to limit or suspend productions, its industrial added value has fallen to the bottom since November.
Along with the slowing economic growth, however, is the improving air quality. The density of PM2.5, PM10 and sulfur dioxide has been reduced by 50, 50 and 70 percent, respectively during this winter, compared with a year ago.
By 2030, China aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60 percent to 65 percent of 2005 levels. To achieve this goal, every city needs to make sacrifices.
Du was once responsible for Linfen’s economic development, but he does not feel pity about the economic losses caused by the environmental measures. “Nothing is more important than health.”
Linfen’s dramatic turnaround began in the mid-2000s. According to the city’s statistical bureau, it has cut more than 22 million tons of steel and iron capacity and 10 million tons of coal capacity since 2003.
Linfen invested more than 82 billion yuan (US$13 billion) on pollution treatment last year, dismantling 4,700 coal-fired boilers and creating clean heating systems for 152,000 households.
“Closing all polluting firms is impossible in a resource-reliant city. Forcing them to reduce emissions through improving discharge standards is more sustainable,” Du said. Every firm must now abide by discharge regulations, with no exceptions.
The central authorities dispatched inspection teams last year to provincial-level regions, as part of a national campaign to fight pollution and environmental damage. A total of 891 cadres in Linfen have been held accountable for environmental problems.
“Fighting pollution is to seek quality development,” said Zhao Baoping, deputy head of the city’s environmental protection bureau. “Linfen has no choice but to win the war against pollution.”
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