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Zhou Shengxian Urges to Deepen Air Pollution Prevention and Control and Vigorously Promote the Building of Ecological Civilization during the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference Guiyang 2013

The Eco Forum Global Annual Conference Guiyang 2013 was held in Guiyang from July 20 to July 21. With the theme of “building eco-civilization: green transformation and transition—green industry-, green urbanization- and green consumption-led sustainable development”, this forum is currently the only state-level international forum focusing on ecological civilization. MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian was invited to attend the annual conference and made an important speech.

Zhou noted that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the building of ecological civilization and environmental protection. They have made a serious of new arrangements in the following six aspects: The first is to continue to explore a new path to environmental protection; the second is to adhere to the principle of “pursuing economic development in the process of environmental protection and protecting the environment in the course of economic development”; the third is to optimize economic development through environmental protection; the fourth is to step up efforts in solving serious environmental problems that harm people’s health; the fifth is to accelerate the building of an ecological civilization system; the sixth is to build an environmental work pattern with the participation of the whole society.

Zhou said that, from the perspective of ecological civilization, environmental problems are essentially the problems of economic structure, way of production and consumption pattern, and are definitely not simple issues of pollution control. Therefore we shall not address pollution or protection issues just for the sake of pollution or protection. To fundamentally solve the environmental problems, we need to, from the perspective of overall economic and social development, make strenuous efforts in transforming the growth model, seek breakthroughs in adjusting the economic structure, facilitate changes in improving the consumption pattern, and endeavor to promote green and circular development. We shall solidly foster the concept that to protect the environment is to preserve our productivity and to improve the environment is to develop our productivity, remain committed to the principle of giving high priority to environmental protection, gain a good understanding of the requirements of pursuing economic development in the process of environmental protection and protecting the environment in the course of economic development, and strive to promote the harmonization of economic and social development with the population, resources and environment.

Zhou indicated that MEP has defined three key environmental tasks for the next five years: the first is to deepen air pollution prevention and control with PM2.5 as the focal point; the second is to strengthen water pollution prevention and control in major drainage basins and groundwater by focusing on the assurance of drinking water safety; the third is to further promote contiguous environmental treatment of towns and villages as well as soil pollution control by focusing on solving rural eco-environmental problems.

Zhou emphasized that, to deepen air pollution prevention and control with PM2.5 as the focal point is the top priority of our current environmental work. We shall, in line with the requirements of the ten measures for curbing air pollution recently launched by the State Council, focus on doing a good job in the following five areas.

Firstly, we shall propel industrial structure optimization and upgrading, and reduce excess capacity—a fundamental strategy for curbing PM2.5. We shall exercise control over the total production capacity of such sectors as steel, electrolytic aluminum and coke, and replace backward capacities with equivalent or fewer new capacities in new construction, reconstruction and expansion projects. We shall accelerate the elimination of backward production capacities, shut down outdated production capacities in 21 key industries such as steel, cement, electrolytic aluminum, and plate glass one year ahead of the timetable outlined in the 12th Five-Year Plan.

Secondly, we shall accelerate the adjustment of the energy structure and control total coal consumption. As coal-dominated energy structure is the main cause of air pollution, we shall strengthen the control of aggregate energy consumption, promote the efficient and clean utilization of coal, increase raw coal cleaning rate and advocate the use of clean coal. The supply of natural gas, coal methane and coalbed methane shall be increased, the development of nuclear power, hydropower, wind energy and biomass energy shall be promoted, and the proportion of clean energy shall be raised.

Thirdly, we shall strictly control motor vehicle pollution and improve the quality of fuel. It is necessary for us to focus on all three aspects of vehicles, fuel and roads. As to fuel management, we shall expedite the use of low-sulfur fuel for vehicles; as for managing vehicles, we shall scientifically manage the vehicle ownership in cities and implement the Stage Ⅴ emission standards for vehicles.

Fourthly, we shall enhance comprehensive treatment and conduct synergetic control of multiple pollutants. Only by adopting the synergetic control of such pollutants as SO2, NOx, smoke & dust, and volatile organic compounds with PM2.5 as the focal point, can we effectively curb PM2.5 and shift the environmental treatment from the traditional source-oriented approach to a quality-oriented one.

Fifthly, we shall establish an environmental monitoring and pre-warning and emergency response system, and properly deal with heavy pollution weather. We shall do a good job in the trend analysis of heavy air pollution weather process, improve the accuracy of monitoring and early-warning, and timely release the related information. According to the level of warning, emergency response plan shall be activated immediately, and response measures, such as limited production, limited emission and suspension of work of heavy-polluting enterprises shall be adopted.

Finally, Zhou stressed that, the prosperity without environmental protection is a postponed catastrophe. MEP will initiate a national action aiming at air pollution prevention and control, put all measures into effect, and be brave to be the leader, promoter and enforcer to promote ecological progress.

 

(This English version is for your reference only.In case any discrepancy exists between the Chinese and English context, the Chinese version shall prevail.)

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