Home 禄 Opinion 禄 Chinese Views
Red line shows resolve to safeguard environment
Print Edition
There has been a lot of talk about an 鈥渆cological red line鈥 lately in China, but what is this red line and how does it play into the country鈥檚 wider environmental strategy?
According to a guideline issued by the central government last Tuesday, by 2020 there must be clearly defined protected zones across the country where development is strictly prohibited.
Simply put, it is an explicit and universal message that development should not cross the line. Unfettered development at the cost of the environment has had its day.
Decades of breathtaking economic growth has left the country with polluted rivers, toxic air and contaminated soil.
It is comforting, though, that the top leadership are committed to addressing environmental degradation, even at the expense of short-term economic growth.
To achieve greener development, China has moved away from its obsession with unrivaled economic expansion, and shifted toward a more sustainable model that values quality over quantity.
To this end, the country has already shut down a great number of high-polluting factories, removed old vehicles from the roads, and put its weight behind the service industry.
With the introduction of the ecological red line, China is showing that its war against environmental deterioration is far from over, and that pollution and over-exploitation of natural resources will be handled with an iron fist.
China鈥檚 resolve to protect the environment should never be underestimated.
Officials have been, and will continue to be, removed from office if they fail to protect the country鈥檚 鈥済reen mountains and clean water鈥 or shirk their responsibilities in the building of a 鈥渂eautiful China.鈥
Going forward, plans, such as the red line, must be implemented properly. Therefore, it鈥檚 a pressing task for the central government to motivate local governments to enforce policies and that supports the government鈥檚 vision.
It is high time for local officials distracted by growth data to abandon this mindset and make good on their pledges to uphold the country鈥檚 environmental strategy.
As a Chinese saying goes: 鈥淓mpty talk harms the country, hard work prospers the nation.鈥
Pragmatism is needed for China to emerge victorious from the war against environmental degradation.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
