On the eve of the 39th World Environment Day, the Ministry of Environmental Protection released the “Bulletin on China’s Environmental Status in 2009” on the 3rd.
From the communique, we can be delighted to see that in responding to the challenges of the international financial crisis, China’s steps in environmental protection have become more resolute. The implementation of the “11th Five-Year Plan” for environmental protection has met the progress requirements, and some indicators have been exceeded. China is steadily moving towards the goals of the environmental protection plan.
Pollution reduction continues to maintain a “double decline”.
This year marks the last year of the 11th Five-Year Plan. Whether the binding target of reducing the total discharge of major pollutants by 10% can be achieved is the focus of public attention.
The communique shows that the total national discharge of chemical oxygen demand in 2009 was 12.775 million tons, a decrease of 3.27% compared with the previous year. The total emission of sulfur dioxide was 22.144 million tons, a decrease of 4.60% compared with the previous year, maintaining a good trend of double decline.
It has been noted that compared with 2005, the total emissions of chemical oxygen demand and sulfur dioxide in China decreased by 9.66% and 13.14% respectively in 2009. The sulfur dioxide emission reduction target for the 11th Five-Year Plan was achieved one year ahead of schedule, laying a solid foundation for the full completion of the emission reduction target for the 11th Five-Year Plan.
The achievements were made thanks to strong measures. According to Zhang Lijun, vice minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, last year, the Ministry of Environmental Protection made decisions to return the environmental impact assessment documents of 49 projects with a total investment of 190.5 billion yuan, not to approve them or to postpone the approval. At the same time, special law enforcement activities for high-pollution industries were carried out, and 1,824 projects that were started without approval and 3,167 projects that failed to implement the “three simultaneous” requirements were investigated and dealt with, and rectification was urged to be completed.
