China has environmental problems and the government has pledged to fix them, declaring its intention to do so right at the beginning of the country's annual legislative meeting. Leaders have gathered to ease the growing public concern over pollution that could be severe enough to affect the Chinese economy.
With smog hovering over Beijing, President Xi Jinping vowed Friday to punish without exception anyone who will violate laws in place to protect the environment. Earlier, Premier Li Keqiang announced the government will be imposing dramatic cut-backs on major pollutants and will be working towards improving energy efficiency in the country. Chen Jining, newly appointed environment minister, reiterated Saturday that the government will be enforcing environmental laws at the strictest level.
The Chinese government's environmental focus includes announcements on crackdowns on carbon emissions and the use of coal and reflects the general public's increasing concern and anger over pollution that is not only hazardous to the environment but could have effects severe enough to disrupt government rule.
One of the specific measures set in place by officials is that coal consumption will be cut over the next five years by 160 million tons. Beijing will also be shutting down 300 factories and taking 200,000 vehicles off the road this year for heavily contributing to air pollution. Last year, Xi promised to stop the rise in carbon emissions in the country by 2030 and at the same time double the use of energy from non-fossil fuel sources.
Still, particulate measurements in Beijing Saturday went over levels the World Health Organization deemed safe seven times and China continues to produce more emissions compared to what any other country emits, going twice more than what the United States does.
According to Chen, China's laws should not be just "a piece of paper" and that the environment ministry will be a launching the most thorough of checks on violators. New environmental laws were implemented in the country starting January.
"We will completely change the past situation where environmental law enforcement has been too lax and too soft," he said. "Abiding by the law should be the norm."
Chen added that China will also be shielding less developed regions in the west by curbing the desire to move industries to those areas to decongest more industrialized regions in the country.
In November 2014, China entered an agreement with the U.S. to jointly cut carbon emissions by 2025.
Photo: Kevin Dooley | Flickr
