2011 National Conference on Environmental protection is an important meeting held in the first year of the "12th Five-Year Plan". Mr. Li Keqiang, Member of the Standing Committee of CCCPC and Vice Premier of the State Council attached great importance to the meeting and presented an important instruction. He pointed out that our country has made increasing efforts in environmental protection with important progress in environmental protection work. The emission reduction target of major pollutants was met ahead of schedule during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period. I express my sincere greetings to all comrades！I hope that all officials and staff in environmental protection departments and institutions should center on promoting scientific development and accelerating transformation of economic development mode, adhere to the people first policy & environmental protection for the people, strengthen comprehensive control, improve system & mechanism, strive for addressing striking environmental problems, uplift ecological civilization, facilitate green development, and better meet new expectations of the public on good eco environment. This points out the direction for our meeting and doing well environmental protection work in the near future. We must seriously learn and carry out them.
The main tasks of 2011 national conference are seriously implementing the spirits of the 17th National Congress of CPC, the third, fourth and fifth plenary sessions of  17th National Congress of CPC as well as the Meeting of the Central Government on Economy; summarizing environmental protection work during the "11th Five-Years"; studying the philosophy of environmental protection during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period; arranging major tasks in 2011 centering on the theme of scientific development, main line of accelerating the shift of economic development mode and new requirement for uplifting ecological civilization; keeping on the exploration of new path to environmental protection and strive for creating new situation of environmental protection. Next, I will talk about the following three issues.
I. Breakthrough of Environmental Protection Work during the "11th Five-Year Plan" Period
"11th Five-Year Plan" is the 5 years in development history of China and also the 5 years with much improvement of the capacity for environmental protection cause. During the past 5 years, China has taken emission reduction as a must for national plan for economic and social development, made more efforts in addressing striking environmental problems affecting sustainable development and threatening public health. There are important changes of both our understanding and practice of environmental protection. We have turned challenges to opportunities and environmental protection cause has enjoyed continuous development. We have established and improved new mechanism for joint prevention and control at regional and river basin levels with further improvement of environmental quality. We have cultivated environmental protection spirit of China and environmental protection workforce has stood the test. Here, on behalf of all MEP leaders I extend my greetings and heartfelt thanks to you, staff working in the field of environmental protection as well as all comrades who pay attention to and support environmental protection cause！
(I) Significant transformation of our understanding about environmental protection with wide improvement of public awareness in environmental protection
The Central Government has put forward a series of new ideas and measures for strengthening environmental protection. The CCCPC and the State Council have put environmental protection to a more important strategic position since the "11th Five-Year Plan" period and put forward new thinking and ideas such as development of ecological civilization, promotion of historical transformations of environmental protection work, ecological restoration of rivers and lakes, energy saving and emission reduction being an important tool for shift of economic growth mode and adjustment of economic structure, environmental protection being a key welfare issue, and exploration of new path to environmental protection.
Party committees and governments at all levels and all leaders and officials have evidently improved their environmental awareness. Many local Party committees and governments pay more attention, take environmental protection at a striking position in the big picture, adhere and improve responsibility system, identify the objectives and tasks of environmental protection, study & address key issues of environmental protection in time.
The public pays more attention to and actively takes part in environmental protection. Centering on such ideas and themes as the development of ecological civilization, we have promoted historical transformations and exploration of new path to environmental protection, strengthened publicity of environmental protection and actively guided public opinions at the period of big events such as Beijing Olympic Games, Shanghai Expo, June 5 World Environment Day. As a result, the idea of environmental protection has been filtering into people’s minds. The social atmosphere where the whole society pays attention to and takes part in environmental protection is stronger with evident improvement of public awareness in environmental protection.
(II) Emission reduction target having been met ahead of schedule with steady improvement of environmental quality
Under the situation of both economic growth rate and energy consumption exceeding the expectations during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period, SO2 reduction target was met one year ahead of schedule and COD reduction target was met half year ahead of schedule. According to primary estimate, total COD discharge across China in 2010 went down by about 12% and SO2 by 14% compared with that of 2005, both ahead of the schedule. It is not easy to obtain this achievement with profound influence.
Implementation of emission reduction accountability system. The 10% reduction of total pollutants is quantified as reduction of 6.73 million t SO2 and 5.71 million t COD, which have been divided into each provincial government and six power corporations by signing target responsibility document. Each provincial government divides emission reduction target, emission reduction project and measures down to each prefecture and city as well as key pollution discharge enterprises. Ministry of Environmental Protection put forward the principle of playing down the baseline, identifying the increase and check reduction amount; explored a complete set of effective methods for check and verification; enhanced the emission reduction measures by industrial restructuring, projects and management; strictly carried out accountability system and develop an emission reduction work pattern with coordination at all levels. Hebei Province carried out the 30% energy saving and 30% emission reduction project. Shanxi Province implemented environmental protection accountability system. Tianjin Municipality includes emission reduction into the annual agenda of Tianjin Committee of CPC.
Great progress of construction of environmental infrastructure. Up to the end of the "11th Five-Year Plan", the accumulated 500 million kW of coal-fueled power generating units with sulfur removal facilities had been put into operation, the percent of desulphurization generating units of thermal power plants went up to 80% from 12% in 2005. The newly added sewage treatment capacity exceeded 50 million t/d. National urban sewage treatment rate went up to over 75% from 52% in 2005. In provinces like Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong, each country has constructed a sewage treatment plant. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is the first provincial government launching the program of constructing at least one sewage treatment plant in each county.
Unprecedented efforts in phasing out lag-behind productivity. Giving full play of the role of target driven mechanism for emission reduction, we have shut down a total of over 70 million kW capacity of small thermal generating units, 18 months ahead of schedule meeting the 50 million kW reduction target; phased out of the productivity of 110 million t for lag-behind iron smelting, 68.60 million t for steel, 330 million t for cement, 93 million t for coke, 7.20 million t in paper making, 1.80 million t in alcohol, 300,000 t for gourmet powder and 38 million containers of glass during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period.
Continuous improvement of environmental quality. In 2009, the average concentration of permanganate value of surface water sections under national monitoring program was 5.1 mg/l, down by 29% compared with that of 2005. The percent of water sections under national monitoring program of seven big waters meeting Grade Ⅲ national water quality standard went up to 57% from 41% in 2005. The annul average SO2 concentration of urban air environment across China was 0.035 mg/m3, down by 17% compared with that of 2005. The annul average SO2 concentration of air of major cities on environmental protection was 0.046 mg/m3, down by 24.6% compared with that of 2005. The percent of prefecture-level cities or above meeting Grade II air quality standard had evident increase and reached 79.6%.
(III) Take initiative to take part in macro regulation with increasing comprehensive role of environmental protection in optimizing economic development
Ministry of Environmental Protection and 8 provinces (autonomous regions) have signed environmental protection agreement since 2006 to facilitate the implementation of several regional development plan approved by the State Council. Meanwhile, Ministry of Environmental Protection rejected, did not review or suspended review of environment impact statements of 813 projects that did not meet relevant requirements, involving total investment of 2.9 trillion yuan RMB, and set restraints or ban of any project with high energy consumption, heavy pollution or resource oriented, low-level repeated construction or with excessive productivity. During special control of striking environmental problems in construction sector, environmental protection departments at all levels, MEP organized the investigation on 118000 construction projects; a total of 16,000 problems were found, 10400 of them have been subject to corrections. MEP frequently adopted the measures such as "banning of new construction projects at regional level" and "banning of new construction projects at sector level" and effectively controlled environmental infringements.
Ministry of Environmental Protection has organized strategy EIA of 10 key industries such as petrochemical, energy, metallurgy and manufacturing of 15 provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) in five regions such as the regions surrounding the Bohai Sea, western region to the Strait, Beibu Gulf, Chengdu & Chongqing and mid & upper reaches of the Yellow River. Relevant findings have been applied in the layout of industry and environmental access of key projects. Anhui Province and Fujian Province actively conducted planning environment impact statement for economic development zones (industrial parks). Gansu Province employed the environmental capacity saved from emission reduction to firstly support the areas, industries, enterprises with great contribution to the improvement of environmental quality. From coal mines to energy bases, from urban rail to inter-city transportation, from waters in Southwest China to trans-boundary rivers, from national grain security to coordinated regional development, planning EIA has been being applied in each region and many areas.
National environmental protection standards grow at the speed of 100 per year.  Ministry of Environmental Protection has developed the first national standard for acoustic environment, finished the development and revision of over 60 emission standards of major industries, developed and revised 1050 national environmental protection standards. The amount of existing national environmental protection standards totals 1300, up by 502 compared with that of the "10th Five-Year Plan" period. Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province and Guangdong Province have carried out stricter local pollution discharge limits and effectively facilitated industrial upgrading economic restructuring.
(VI) Innovate control mode with increasing efforts in prevention and control of pollution in major river basins and regions
Great promotion of the policy of ecological restoration of rivers and lakes. In the beginning of 2008, CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao at the height of developing ecological civilization put forward the idea of ecological restoration of rivers and lakes, which becomes a guideline for comprehensive control of water environment in China. With serious implementation, we have kept on innovation of our policy measures. The General Office of the State Council distributed the Provisional Measures on the Examination of the Implementation of the Special Plan for Prevention and control of Water Pollution of Major River Basins. The system examining the quality of trans-province boundary river sections of key river basins  has been set up in an all round way, which become a key tool for prevention and control of water pollution of major river basins. Up to the end of 2009, 64.9% of the planned pollution treatment projects had been finished; 80.1% of water sections met national standard. Heilongjiang Province, Jilan Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have worked together and made evident progress in comprehensive prevention and control of water pollution in the Songhua River basin. Hebei Province conducted water quality examination at 201 sections of the seven biggest waters across the province and established eco compensation mechanism at river basin level. Jiangsu Province is the first province in China to carry out the "river administrator system" with some improvement of water quality in the Taihu Lake. Shandong Province employed "control, utilization and protection" methods; as a result, fish went back in all the major polluting rivers under provincial pollution control program. CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao made two important instructions, one in April and the other in July of 2009, which fully recognized the achievements of the "ecological restoration of rivers and lakes" policy.
Establishment of the new mechanism for joint prevention and control of pollution at regional level. To ensure a true "Green Olympics" in Beijing in 2008, we have explored appropriate ways to facilitate joint prevention and control of air pollution at regional level. The General Office of the State Council transferred the Guidelines for Promoting Joint Prevention and Control of Air Pollution to Improve Regional Air Quality in May of last year. Ministry of Environmental Protection organized regional law enforcement supervision in the two provinces and one municipality involved in Shanghai Expo; four provinces and one autonomous region involved in Guangzhou Asian Games; three provinces and two municipalities and one autonomous region surrounding Beijing. It has vigorously developed the mechanism for joint prevention and control of air pollution at regional level with "unified plan, monitoring, supervision, assessment and coordination". As a result, the tasks of ensuring good air quality for Shanghai Expo and Guangzhou Asian Games have been finished with flying colors after the great success of the Green Olympics.
(V) Adhere to environmental protection for the people and make great efforts to address pre-eminent environmental problems threatening public health
Steady progress in ensuring drinking water safety. Ministry of Environmental Protection has taken public drinking water safety as the top priority. It has carried out national environmental investigations on drinking water source areas for cities and towns, organized the assessment of water environment of 226 collective drinking water source areas of major cities on environmental protection and urged them to meet environmental protection requirements. Ministry of Environmental Protection has developed and issued the National Plan for Environmental Protection of Urban Drinking Water Source Areas (2008~2020), which requires that at least 90% of drinking water source areas will met water quality by 2015 and over 95% by 2020. It has finished the compilation of National Plan for Prevention and Control of Groundwater Pollution and then reported it to the State Council for approval, printing and distribution.
New progress in the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution. Heavy metal pollution is a major environmental problem during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period. After properly handling frequent occurrence of heavy metal pollution accidents in 2008, Ministry of Environmental Protection in cooperation with 8 miniｓtries and commissions of the State Council has carried out special inspection on enterprises causing heavy metal pollution and effectively controlled the rising trend of heavy metal pollution. It has developed the National Plan for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution (2010~2015). It is expected that by 2015, China will further optimize industrial structure of heavy metals, improve pollution control system, environment emergency response system and environment & health risk assessment system for heavy metals. The central budget has added a special item for prevention and control of heavy metals and allocated 1.5 billion Yuan for the first time in 2010 to support comprehensive prevention and control of pollution, demonstration & extension of new technologies in key areas for prevention and control of pollution. The "manganese triangle" pollution problem, which is concerned by CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao, has been addressed with evident improvement of environmental quality after concerted efforts of the government and relevant departments of Hunan Province, Guizhou Province and Chongqing Municipality. Up to the end of June of 2010, a total of 2.93 million t of chromium slag had been under environment-friendly treatment across China, which was left in the past mining practice.
Increasing efforts in environmental law enforcement and supervision. Ministry of Environmental Protection has conducted special inspections on key issues such as heavy metal pollution, paper making enterprises, sewage treatment plants and landfill facilities since 2006. A total of 10.65 million person•times of law enforcement people had been mobilized across China, who have checked 4.46 million enterprise•times, found over 80,000 enterprise•times of environmental infringements; 7293 of them were banned or shut down; 5981 of them stopped operation for pollution control and 6432 were ordered to control the pollution within a given period of time; over 19000 environmental infringements had been put on blacklist for supervision. These special inspections have cracked down environmental infringements and safeguarded public environmental rights & interests. Each regional environmental protection supervision center has done many effective activities and played an important role during the law enforcement.
Increasing improvement of environment emergency response system & mechanism. Ministry of Environmental Protection has set up an environment emergency response center and environment emergency response expert pool. Over 1/3 of provincial environmental protection departments across China have set up a special environment emergency response institution. A total of 912 sudden environmental accidents had been handled during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period, a group of very big environmental events attracting high public attention have been under proper treatment and control. After the occurrence of Wenchuan earthquake and Yushu earthquake and large scale landslide in Zhouqu, environment emergency response monitoring was prompt and scientific and effectively prevented secondary environmental disasters.
(VI) Grasp the opportunity and practically strengthen environmental protection & ecological conservation in rural areas
Comprehensive promotion of rural environmental protection. The State Council held the First National Teleconference on Rural Environmental Protection in July of 2008. Vice Premier Li Keqiang presented an important speech and put forward policy measures including the "employ reward to facilitate pollution control and replace the subsidy". For the first time, the central government set special fund for rural environmental protection with arrangement of total 4 billion yuan in three years, which drove about 8 billion yuan local input to support comprehensive environmental control and development of ecological demonstration sites in over 6600 villages, over 24 million rural people got direct benefits. According to the requirement of "Concentrate on the focus with expansion", we have arranged a total of 12 billion yuan special fund from the central budget during 2010~2012. Beginning from 2010, the central government arranged the first amount of 2 billion yuan to support the demonstration work of 8 provinces (autonomous regions or municipality) such as Liaoning, Jiangsu and Zhejiang carried out the demonstration work on environmental control of connected rural areas. Ministry of Environmental Protection has finished the national investigation on the status of soil pollution and released the Suggestions on Strengthening Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution. With active exploration, provinces like Sichuan and Shaanxi have established the garbage disposal pattern that is "cleaned at village group level, collected at village level, transported at town level and disposed at county level".
Intensive work of ecological conservation. China has established a China National Commission for International Year of Biodiversity with Vice Premier Li Keqiang as the Chairman. It has released the "China Action Program for 2010 International Year of Biodiversity". The executive meeting of the State Council reviewed and approved the China’s Strategy and Action Plan for Conservation of Biodiversity (2011~2030). Ministry of Environmental Protection has conducted the activities of International Year of Biodiversity in an all round way. A total of 192 new nature reserves of various kinds have been established across China during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period. The total area of land nature reserves accounts for about 14.72% of total land area. The General Office of the State Council issued the Circular on Doing Well Relevant Work on Management of Nature Reserves not long ago, which further strengthens comprehensive functions of Ministry of Environmental Protection and relevant departments on management of nature reserves. The system of developing eco development demonstration sites has kept on improvement with establishment of 11 national ecological counties (cities). Ministry of Environmental Protection has released the Outline of National Plan for Key Ecological Function Protected Areas and National Zoning of Ecological Function Areas. Some provinces and autonomous regions in major eco function regions have continuously strengthened the ecological security. Tibet arranged over 10 billion yuan to construct ecological safety shelter project. Yunnan Province has established the biodiversity conservation foundation. Qinghai Province has made great efforts in monitoring and protecting the nature ecology in the sources of the Yangtze River and Yellow River.
(VII) Many achievements in development of policies & legal system, environmental protection plans, scientific monitoring and international cooperation, providing strong support to environmental protection cause
Continuous improvement of environmental protection laws and regulations. The Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution has been promulgated after amendment. The Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution has been under amendment. The Law on Circular Economy has been implemented. Seven administrative documents on environmental protection such as Regulations on Environment Impact Assessment of Plans and Regulations on Management of Collection & Disposal of Waste Electric and Electronic Products have been promulgated. Regulatory documents such as Comprehensive Program on Energy Saving and Emission Reduction and National Program on Climate Change have been released one after another. Provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) such as Liaoning, Henan, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hainan, Guangxi and Xinjiang have continuous innovation in their legal system, strengthened environmental responsibility of local governments and relevant bodies and imposed severer sanctions on environmental infringements.
Increasing role of environment economic policies. The Product List with "Two Highs" (high pollution or high environmental risks) put forward by Ministry of Environmental Protection becomes an important base for development and adjustment of policies on export rebate, processing trade and safety supervision. A total of over 40,000 pieces of information about environmental infringements and 7000 pieces of information about review & approval of environment impact assessment have entered bank credit management system. More than 10 insurance companies have put out environmental protection liability insurance products with over 550 enterprises and 2000 ships buying insurance. With more efforts in collecting pollution discharge fee, a total of 84.7 billion yuan pollution discharge fee had been collected during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period. The policy of 1.5 cent higher price per kW•h electricity generated from coal-fueled power generating units with desulphurization facilities has been carried out to facilitate rapid rise of installed capacity of coal-fueled power generating units with desulphurization facilities, which increased by more than 10 times. There has been increasing percent of government procurement of green products and the trial work on emission right trade and eco compensation has been under further development. The central government is considering the implementation of "green taxation" policy. With financial subsidy, Beijing has phased out more than 150,000 yellow-label vehicles. Hubei is the first province to carry out green dispatch of power.
The assessment of the implementation of the "11th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection" has been smoothly completed. Ministry of Environmental Protection, NDRC and other relevant departments carried out assessment on the implementation of the "11th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection". The 99th executive meeting of the State Council listened to the findings of the assessment and held the view that the implementation of the "11th Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection" met the schedule with some targets having been met ahead of schedule. It is expected that the main planned targets will be met according to the schedule. It is a Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection with good implementation up to now.
Further enhancement of the support by science & technology. A total of 367 achievements were registered as national environment scientific & technological achievements, 178 achievements wining National Award for Science & Technology Progress or National Award for Environment Science & Technology with many breakthroughs in several key technologies on prevention and control of pollution in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceutical, metallurgy and chemical fiber. The research capacity in environmental science & technology has enjoyed increasing enhancement, now there are 10 national key labs on environmental protection and 10 national environmental protection technological centers. Another 9 national key labs and 9 national engineering technological centers are under construction. Small satellites for environment and disaster monitoring have been launched successfully. The environment monitoring and early warning system has evolved from "two dimension" to "three dimensions". National Environment Advisory Commission and National Environment Science & Technology Commission have been established, they have played an important role in major environment decision making.
Acceleration of environmental monitoring work. The project on capacity building in automatic monitoring of major pollution sources under national monitoring program has been basically finished and 343 pollution source monitoring centers at province or prefecture level have been set up across the country. More than 15000 enterprises conducted automatic monitoring. Annual operational funds from financial departments at all levels and enterprises were about 660 million yuan. Ministry of Environmental Protection has made public real-time monitoring data of 100 national automatic monitoring stations on the quality of surface water since July 1, 2009. The Three-Year Action Plan for Management of Environmental Monitoring Quality is carried out in good order. The First National Contest on Environment Professional Monitoring Skills with more than 50,000 participants has been completed with flying colors.
Remarkable achievements in international environmental cooperation. China-US environmental cooperation has expanded new areas like environmental laws. China-Russia environmental cooperation has evolved from addressing pollution crisis to comprehensive and multi-level cooperation in many areas. The recommendations of the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting on e-waste cooperation have been adopted by the statement of China-Japan-Korea Summit. Ministry of Environmental Protection takes initiative to take part in international negotiations on international conventions such as biodiversity, Stockholm Convention and mercury and implemented the approved conventions. A total of 100,000 t in production and 110,000 t in consumption of ODS have been phased out in China, accounting for over 50% of the world total. China has made pre-eminent contributions to the protection of ozone layer. CCICED annual general meetings have been held successfully, which are spoke highly by leaders of the State Council.
(VIII) The three big strategic projects have made fruitful achievements and played an important role in guiding the current work and planning for long-term future
"To have a big tree, we must consolidate its root. To have a long river, we must dredge its sources." The long-term development of environmental protection cause depends upon sound fundamental work. The State Council has approved the three basic environmental protection projects, they are national census on pollution sources, study on macro strategy for China’s environment and Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment.
With national census on pollution sources, we have understood the pollution sources in an all round way. Over 5.92 million sources of four categories including industrial sources, agricultural sources, domestic sources and collective pollution treatment facilities have been investigated. We have understood basic situation of environment of pollution sources in our country; generation, treatment and discharge of major pollutants; discharge from rural sources as well as regional distribution of toxic and hazardous pollutants and set up a pollution source information database.
Completion of the Study on Macro Strategy for China’s Environment. A series of important findings such as comprehensive report on macro strategy and topic reports have been developed after three-year study with over 6 million Chinese characters. On December 28, Premier Wen Jiabao gave an important instruction: "We should focus on the application of research findings. To develop the "12th Five-Year Plan", we should seriously refer to this Report. The Report could be distributed to NDRC and relevant departments." Vice Premier Li Keqiang chaired the meeting on the application of study findings on December 20. He agreed the key subject of active exploration of new path to environmental protection that is small in cost, good in benefits, low in emissions and sustainable in development, which has presented by the study. Vice Premier Li required that relevant departments should pay high attention to the research findings and recommendations, absorb them during the development of the "12th Five-Year Plan" and turn them into new measures & policies that promote environmental protection.
Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment entered the stage of tackling thorny problems. A total of 230 subjects of 32 research projects have been commenced with 3.2 billion yuan from central budget all in place. Some projects and research subjects have obtained milestone achievements. Relevant research forces have solved a number of difficulties such as the idea & set of technologies on the control of eutrophication of large and medium sized shallow lakes; key technology and equipment for tertiary treatment of urban sewage and technical system for water ecological function zoning at river basin level.
(IX) Progress in nuclear safety and prevention and control of radioactive pollution with improvement of supervision level
Good situation of the safety of applying nuclear energy & technologies. By the end of the "11th Five-Year Plan" period, there were 13 nuclear power generating units in operation and 30 units were under construction. The quality of nuclear facilities under construction enjoyed effective control. The safety of all in-service nuclear facilities has been ensured without any operational event or accident at or above Grade II. Preparation for extra service years or decommissioning of old nuclear facilities have been carried out with good order. The management of applications of nuclear technologies has increasingly been standardized and basically achieved the whole-process management and control including production, marketing, utilization, import & export and recycling.
Steady progress of prevention and control of radioactive pollution. The pollution sources with high risks have been gradually under control with progress in the treatment and disposal of waste liquid with low or intermediate radioactive pollution. Radiation protection and environmental protection during mineral exploration, mining and mineral process of uranium mines have enjoyed continuous improvement with further elimination of environment safety risks of closed uranium mines. The overall radiation environment quality of the country maintained good during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period.
(X) Coordinated development of both software and hardware with further improvement of capacity building in environmental protection
The support of central budget to environmental protection reached the historical high. The central budget sets the "211 Environmental Protection" item for the first time, which has laid a solid foundation for steady growth of government investment in environmental protection. The accumulated budget funds of 10.034 billion yuan were allocated during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period, 4.71 times of that of the "10th Five-Year Plan" period. The total investment in environmental protection by the central government totaled 156.4 billion yuan, nearly three times of the investment in environmental protection from the central government during the "10th Five-Year Plan" period. In the projects directly participated or arranged by Ministry of Environmental Protection, about 29 billion yuan from the central government were for capacity building and environmental control, nearly 7 times of that of the "10th Five-Year Plan" period. Each province and autonomous region has kept on the improvement of environmental protection input mechanism. The increase of annual budget of provincial environmental protection department of such provinces as Sichuan was higher than GDP increase of the last year. Environmental input of such provinces and autonomous regions as Ningxia and Shanxi accounted for more than 2% of GDP during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period.
Active province in capacity building in environmental protection. The "11th Five-Year National Plan for Capacity Building in Environmental Supervision had been carried out with total planned investment of 14.959 billion yuan. The central government had invested 7.847 billion yuan. The total amount of finished investment was about 30 billion yuan, 11 billion yuan of them came from central government. MEP commenced the building construction project for environmental monitoring and law enforcement at grass root level with 310 projects listed in the first stage and investment of 600 million yuan. The standardization of environmental supervision　 has steady progress. A total of 1.659 billion yuan were allocated during the "11th Five-Year Plan period, 5128 vehicles and 86351 sets of instrument & equipment had been equipped with for environment law enforcement. There is big increase of input in environmental monitoring capacity. The central government has arranged 5.586 billion yuan to support capacity building in environment quality monitoring and supervisionary monitoring of key pollution sources under national monitoring program.
Major breakthrough in the development of environmental protection institutions and workforce. Ministry of Environmental Protection has been established with establishment of 6 regional environmental protection supervision centers. MEP has expanded 6 local nuclear & radiation safety supervision centers and set up such institutions as China—ASEAN Environmental Protection Center and China Association for Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion. Compared with that of the end of 2005, 3 internal institutions were added in MEPF headquarters with increase of 124 authorized staff and 12 new DG level posts. There were 5 new institutions with increase of 874 authorized staff. The amount of local environmental protection institutions went up by 10% with 14% increase of staff. Up to the end of 2009, there were 12657 environment protection institutions across the country with a total of 188000 people. In particular, the staff amount of local nuclear and radiation safety supervision institutions increased to 331 people from 34. The staff amount of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center went up from 100 to 600. It is expected that the amount of supervision staff at national level will go up to 1000 by 2012. Both the institution and workforce of local environmental protection departments at all levels have been strengthened.
Continuous enhancement of development of MEP headquarters. We will carry out the "five developments" and strive for the development of the servicing, harmonious, honest and conservation MEP headquarters that are good at learning and governed by rule of law. Taking the lead, MEP leading party members group required strict governance of the headquarters and do it from ourselves to strengthen our capacity. During the practice, we will take the outlook on scientific development as our political belief, scientific truth and the action guidelines. All 48 corrections have been implemented. According to the overall arrangements of the central government and based on practical situation of environmental protection, MEP has encouraged all CPC members and carders to make great contribution & accomplish great tasks at their post by means of such measures as development of work program, open commitments, learning from comrade Tian Hongguang, theme activity of winning emission reduction and commending role models, which greatly facilitated the "Striving for Excellence" Campaign of all environmental protection departments. MEP has organized two open recruitments of DG-level officials, one with candidates from institutions across the country and the other with candidates from environmental departments & institutions across the country. It has organized three times of competitions for director-level official posts in MEP headquarters with 123 officials taking the post at DG or director level after competitive selection process. Ministry of Environmental Protection has made more efforts in exchange, cultivation and capacity building of cadres (officials) and actively conducted the "program of 100 temporary cadres working in other organizations to improve their capacity".
We have accumulated much precious experience and deepened our understanding about the pattern for environmental protection over the past five years. Our deepest understanding is that to address environmental problems in our country, we must actively explore new path to environmental protection that is small in cost, good in benefits, low in emission and sustainable in development. Our biggest achievement is the completion of all tasks specified in the "11th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection" and emission reduction target has been met ahead of schedule. Our common understanding is to strive for the coordination and harmony among environmental protection, economic development, social progress and improvement of welfare. In general, we should seriously summarize and study the following aspects.
1) We must consider environmental protection in the big picture of economic and social development and address environmental issues at national macro strategy. Environmental issues in nature are the issues of economic structure, production pattern, consumption mode and development path. We must find the source at the development mode, seek the solution in the top level economic & social development plan and begin our work at national macro strategy level.
2) We must handle well the relations between environmental protection and economic & social development and achieve historic transformations of environmental protection work. Environmental protection matters economic quality and benefits as well as ensuring and improvement of public welfare. To facilitate the historic transformations, we must put environmental protection at a more important strategic position, which should be under overall consideration and arrangements with socioeconomic development.
3) We must address striking environmental problems threatening public health and safeguard public environmental rights & interests. Environmental protection matters public health and welfare. We must adhere to the idea of "environmental protection for the people" and work with utter devotion for public health.
4) We must develop environmental economic policies from the whole process of　 reproduction and carry out many policy instruments. We must have overall consideration of environmental protection in consumption, investment and export; study and develop environmental economic policies from the whole reproduction processes including production, circulation, distribution and consumption. Only in this way can we have stronger and more practical policy measures.
5) We must facilitate the harmony between man and nature and ecological rehabilitate eco systems that cannot tolerate excessive load. We must give humanistic care to eco systems and enable them to restore its ecology, vigor and vitality as soon as possible.
6) We must mobilize all social forces and develop the widest united front on environmental protection. The general public is the vital force and basic guarantee for environmental protection. Only with wide public participation and common construction can environmental protection cause have persistent and strong driving force.
II. The Overall Thinking and Basic Requirements for Environmental Protection during the "12th Five-Year Plan" Period
With overall arrangements for the development of the next five years, the Suggestions adopted by the 5th Plenary Session of the 17th National Congress of CPC clearly point out that we should take scientific development as the theme, accelerating the shift of economic growth mode as the mainline and accelerating the development of resource-saving and environment-friendly society as a focal point and make more efforts in environmental protection and uplift ecological civilization. This has pointed out the direction for doing well environmental protection work during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period.
The "12th Five-Year Plan" period is the five years full of hope for environmental protection cause in China, and also a key period for overcoming difficulties. To do well environmental protection work, we have many favorable conditions and face the following grave challenges. 1) Increasing pressure on pollution control and emission reduction. With rapid industrialization and urbanization in China, the total economic strength will keep high growth speed with increase of consumption of energy and resources. It is expected that the basic national situation of limited environment carrying capacity will have no change. The emission reduction indicators will increase with decrease in potential. When reducing the increment, we should continuously reduce the stock, so our task is very onerous. 2) Increasing pressure on improvement of environmental quality. The worsening trend of conventional environmental pollution factors has been curbed. However, the problems caused by heavy metal pollution, POPs, soil pollution, hazardous wastes and chemical pollution have become evident. The general public has more expectation on good environment and the tasks of comprehensively improving the quality of water, air and soil environment are very complex. 3) Increasing pressure on preventing environmental risks. There is frequent occurrence of environmental infringements with high frequency of sudden environmental pollution accidents. Secondary environmental problems resulting from natural disasters cannot be ignored and the pressure on nuclear & radiation safety as well as radiation environment safety is increasing with higher uncertainty of ensuring environmental safety. 4) Increasing pressure on addressing global environmental issues. Global environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity have become the focus of interest struggle of all countries in the world. With CO2 and SO2 emissions of our country topping the list, China will be under more international pressure. In general, our country is facing very serious environmental situation. We must enhance our sense of unexpected development, sense of risk and sense of responsibility; take practical measures and actively address environmental issues.
(I) General idea and main objectives of environmental protection work during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period
Guided by the spirit of the 5th Plenary Session of the 17th National Congress of NPC, the general ideas are in-depth implementation of the outlook on scientific development; acceleration of the shift of economic development mode, adherence to people first and environmental protection as the top priority; reflection of the requirements for developing ecological civilization and exploring a new path to environmental protection in an all round way; coordinating the relations among reduction of total discharge, improvement of environmental quality and prevention of risks; focusing on addressing striking environmental problems that affect sustainable development and threaten public health; optimize economic development by environmental protection and further improve public welfare.
The main objectives are big reduction of CO2 emission per unit GDP, remarkable reduction of emission of major pollutants, evident improvement of eco environment quality and gradual improvement of environmental protection system by the year 2015. It is expected that the total discharge of COD, SO2, ammonia nitrogen and NOx across the country will reduce by a certain percent compared with that of 2010, which will be implemented after the approval of NPC.
It will be very difficult to achieve this general ideas and main objectives. The basic requirements and main approaches are further promoting development of ecological civilization, keeping on exploration of new path to environmental protection with some innovations, prompt practice, breakthrough and practical outcomes. The environmental protection activities during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period have demonstrated that we do not have any other options. The only way out will be facilitating the development of ecological civilization and exploration of new path to environmental protection.
(II) Further deepen understanding about development of ecological civilization
Development of ecological civilization is an important strategy and task for effective implementation of the outlook on scientific development, which is put forward based on the grave situation of too big cost of resources & environment during rapid economic growth. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is both the society with both well-developed economy, democracy in politics, harmony and advanced culture and society with good eco environment. Developing ecological civilization is an effective approach to overcome increasing resources & environment constraints; objective requirements for accelerating economic development mode; internal requirements for ensuring and guaranteeing public welfare and strategic option for seizing the commanding height of future competition during the post-international financial crisis period.
The harmony between man and nature is the inherent nature of ecological civilization. Man and nature are under common development, change and progress. The relation between man and nature reflects interaction between human civilization and natural evolution and its outcomes. The survival and development of human beings depends upon nature. Meanwhile, progress of civilization affects the structure, functions and evolution of nature. The relation between man and nature should be comprehensive rather than unbalanced, in harmony rather than contradiction. In any period, we shall not develop our economy at the cost of eco environment. Protecting the environment is eliminating unharmonious factors between man and nature. Improving the environment is continuously uplifting the harmony between man and nature.
The primary task of developing ecological civilization is to handle well the relation between development and environment. Environment depends heavily on development, correct economic policies are correct environmental policies and vice versa. Talking about environmental protection without economic development will be "climbing a tree to catch a fish". Talking about economic development without environmental protection will be "Draining the pond to catch all the fish". Only understanding the law and coordinating well environmental protection with economic development can the development of ecological civilization be accelerated.
The development of ecological civilization is the unity of ideas, actions, process and outcomes. Among them, firmly establishment of the idea of ecological civilization, idea of green & low carbon development and idea of environmental protection first are the preconditions. Adopting all policy measures conducive to development of ecological civilization with prompt action are the key. Being a long-term development process, ecological civilization cannot be achieved without long-term efforts. Therefore, making unremitting efforts is the bases. Focusing on optimized and sustained outcomes of developing ecological civilization is our aim.
Environmental issues are the main factor constraining the development of ecological civilization. To facilitate the development of ecological civilization and the harmony between man and nature, we must strengthen environmental protection. Environmental protection is the main platform and fundamental measures for development of ecological civilization. Any achievement and breakthrough of environmental protection is active contributions to the development of ecological civilization. We should employ the strategic vision, thinking and tools of developing ecological civilization to review and address pre-eminent environmental problems in our country and promote new development of environmental protection cause of China.
(III) Exploration of new path to environmental protection is a main approach to uplifting ecological civilization
At the 30th anniversary meeting on the establishment of Shenzhen Economic Development Zone, CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao clearly required that we should keep on the accelerated shift of economic development mode and strive for exploration of new path to facilitate scientific development. At the meeting on development of West China, Premier Wen Jiabao pointed out that to do well environmental protection work under new situation, the key is adherence to environmental protection during development and development during environmental protection and achievement of the harmony between economic & social development and population, resources and environment. We will not follow the old development path of "treatment after pollution". Exploration of new path to environmental protection and rejecting the old path reflect the future direction of development of environmental protection cause.
Active exploration of new path to environmental protection has become a common understanding and voluntary action of the staff of all environmental departments & institutions. The reason why our country has biggest strength, fastest development and best outcomes in environmental protection during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period has something to do with active exploration of new path to environmental protection. All retired comrades from environmental protection departments and institutions are forerunners of exploring new path to environmental protection. All current environmental officials and staff are practitioners of exploring new path to environmental protection. To keep on exploration of new path to environmental protection, we should mainly meet the following requirements:
First, accurately understand the basic meanings of exploring new path to environmental protection. The basic meaning of new path to environmental protection is small in cost, good in benefits, low in emissions and sustainable in development. "Small in cost" refers to adherence to the coordination between environmental protection and economic development and supporting greater scale economic activities with minimum environment cost. "Good in benefits" refers to adherence to the coordination between environmental protection and socioeconomic development and in search of best environmental, economic and social benefits. "Low in emission" refers to adherence to the combination of pollution prevention with environmental control and minimizing environmental damage by economic & social activities with appropriate environmental control cost. "Sustainable in development" refers to adherence to the combination of environmental protection with long-term development and continuous promotion of sustained economic & social development by developing a resource-saving and environment-friendly society.
Second, accurately understand the aim of exploring new path to environmental protection. We will develop a macro strategy system for environmental protection, system that prevents and controls all types of pollution, improve high-efficient environment control system, well-established system of environment regulations, policies and standards, well-established environment management system and public participation system that meet basic national conditions of our country. With continuous development, the exploration of new path to environmental protection will surely evolve from amount accumulation to quantitative leap and achieve historic leap from realm of necessity to realm of freedom.
Third, accurately understand the guiding role of exploring new path to environmental protection. We must learn two lessons of environmental protection at home and abroad. The first lesson is that the China cannot follow and cannot afford following the old development path of western countries featuring "treatment after pollution", "economic growth at the cost of the environment" and "focusing on end-of the-pipe treatment". The second lesson is that some provinces or autonomous regions separate environmental protection with economic development; they had narrow vision on environmental protection and pollution control. Their path of environmental protection became narrower and narrower with no big achievements over the past 30 years since 1979. However, if we make overall consideration of environmental protection and economic & social development, the path of environmental protection becomes wider and wider.
Fourth, accurately understand the practical requirement for exploring new path to environmental protection. One action speaks louder than a dozen of initiatives. No practice means no Marxism. To explore new path to environmental protection, we should deepen and enrich our understanding and focus on action & practice. We should explore, facilitate and upgrade environmental protection during our practice. The exploration of new path to environmental protection must combine the objectives, tasks and focuses of environmental protection activities, and make them more specific. Each innovation and breakthrough as well as completion of each task is contributions to the exploration of new path to environmental protection. The stronger the practice, the more evident achievements in exploration of new path to environmental protection.
There is no end to practice, understanding and explorations. Brave in innovation and continuous in efforts, we will carry forward good experience of the past 30 years in exploring new path to environmental protection without any vacillation, dispute and Zheteng (futile actions). We will keep on active exploration of new path to environmental protection and make more efforts in uplifting ecological civilization.
III. Practically Do Well Key Environmental Protection Work in 2011
2011 is the first year of the "12th Five-Year Plan" period. Well begun, half done. The overall requirements for environmental protection this year are: with the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and important thought of the "three representations", we will carry out the outlook on scientific development; seriously materialize the spirits of the 17th National Congress of CPC, the third, fourth and fifth plenary sessions of the 17th National Congress of CPC as well as the Meeting of Central Government on Economy; combine environmental protection with shift of economic development mode, industrial restructuring, improvement of public welfare and social harmony centering the theme of scientific development and new requirements for accelerating the shift of economic development mode and uplifting ecological civilization; addressing pre-eminent environmental issues affecting sustainable development and threatening public health; facilitate emission reduction; make more efforts in prevention and control of pollution of key river basins and regions; strictly supervise environmental law enforcement; strengthen rural environmental protection and ecological conservation in an all round way; supervise well nuclear & radiation safety; actively explore new path to environmental protection and create a good beginning of development of environmental protection cause during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period.
According to the above requirements, we will focus on the following activities in 2011:
(I) Seriously prepare well the 7th National Conference on Environmental Protection
The State Council held six national conference on environmental protection during 1973 ~ 2006, which proclaimed key ideas and policy measures of CPC and the State Council on environmental protection and greatly promoted the development of environmental protection cause. Holding the 7th National Conference on Environmental Protection reflects high attention of CCCPC and the State Council to environmental protection and is an important opportunity for promoting environmental protection cause to a new high and strong driving force for doing well environmental protection work in the new era.
Facing new situation, new tasks and new challenges, we need holding this conference to summarize the progress & experience of environmental protection during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period; commend role model units and individuals in all environmental protection departments and institutions across the country; identify the guidelines, main objectives, major tasks and policy measures for environmental protection during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period. Fundamental projects and activities such as the First National Census on Pollution Sources, Study on Macro Strategy for Environment of China and mid-term assessment of the implementation of the "11th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection" have been finished with success, which have provided relatively good early preparations for the 7th National Conference on Environmental Protection. Leaders of the State Council agreed that we should do well document drafting and preparation work as soon as possible and holds the 7th National Conference on Environmental Protection at an appropriate time in 2011.
To have a successful meeting, the central government will release the suggestions on several key issues of further strengthening environmental protection. This draft was distributed at the meeting for your comments & suggestions. I hope all of you contribute your wisdom and strength, identify well the direction for tackling thorny problems, address striking problems and strive for some innovations and breakthrough in environmental protection mechanism and system.
(II) Improve and release the "12th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection"
We will develop the environmental plan system during the "12th Five-Years" as soon as possible. Based on summarizing the implementation of the "11th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection", we should compile well the "12th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection" as well as special plans including the plan for control the total discharge of major pollutants, plan for prevention and control of water pollution of key river basins, plan for nuclear safety and prevention and control of radioactive pollution as well as plan for capacity building.
MEP executive meeting had reviewed the draft "12th Five-Year National Plan for Environmental Protection". We should improve it as soon as possible and communicate well with relevant departments of the State Council and local governments and strive for completing submission and approval of the Plan during the first 6 months of 2011. The Plan should meet the following requirements: 1) For the guidelines, we should materialize the strategic thoughts on exploration of new path to environmental protection and make more efforts in the development of six systems. 2) For contents of the Plan, we should focus on addressing pre-eminent environmental problems affecting sustainable development and threatening public health and make more efforts in prevention and control heavy metal pollution, POPs, soil and radioactive pollution. 3) For Plan indicators, we should make overall consideration of other indicators based on compulsory targets. 4) For technical issues, we should carry out full studies and review.
(III) Develop & carry out the indicator system and examination method for the development of ecological civilization as soon as possible
Vice Minister Li Keqiang clearly required that environmental protection department should take lead to develop & carry out the indicator system and examination method for the development of ecological civilization. With serious implementation, active plan and in-depth study, we should develop & make public the indicator system and examination method for the development of ecological civilization as soon as possible. First, seek truth from facts and keep pace with the times. Based on reality, we should identify the indicator system in terms of development. Second, combine theory with practice. The scientific and systematic nature of the indicator system should combine with workability. Lopsided pursuit of workability but ignoring the workability, the indicator system will be nothing more than "castles in the air". Lopsided consideration of workability but ignoring scientific and systematic nature of the indicator system may head in the direction opposite to our intention. Third, study and carry out policy measures for development of ecological civilization. We will make more efforts in achieving the systematic and long-term development of ecological civilization; facilitate the demonstration sites on ecological development; and expand trial work on development of ecological civilization. Fourth, carry out staged implementation and examination. The objectives of developing ecological civilization will be carried with milestone achievement in each stage and be examined in each stage.
(IV) Make great efforts in emission reduction and seek for success of the first task
We will organize and finish check and examination of emission reduction activities during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period. We will have a total calculation of the achievement of emission reduction target of each region and unit with implementation of award and punishment measures. The responsibility of any province or enterprise corporation failing to meet emission reduction target or government department with administration inaction will be investigated, which will be subject to corresponding sanction according to circumstances. Any province or autonomous region, units and individual with remarkable achievements in emission reduction will be commended and rewarded. The examination outcomes will be made public.
We should carefully consider relevant comments & suggestions based on the division of emission reduction tasks during the "12th Five-Years". Under the prerequisite of ensuring achievement of overall control target of our country, we should comprehensively consider environmental quality of each province, emission reduction progress during the "11th Five-Years", economic development level, emission reduction capacity and requirements of special plan for prevention and control of protection and give differentiated treatment to eastern, central and western parts of China.
The State has decided to include four major pollutants in the targets of the "12th Five-Years Plan", i.e. COD, SO2, ammonia nitrogen and NOx. Each province, autonomous region, municipality and large corporation should sign a target responsibility document on the control of total discharge of major pollutants to divide and implement specific emission reduction tasks and measures. We will strengthen the development of the "three big systems (indicator system, monitoring system and examination system)" for emission reduction; make overall plan for environment statistics, investigation on pollution sources with renewal of data; study and identify the base value for emission reduction during the "12th Five-Years" and develop & improve check and examination method for indicators on reduction of four pollutants.
It is planed that total emissions of four major pollutants this year will go down by 1.5% respectively compared with that of 2010. In view of the high momentum of investment of each province, autonomous region and municipality in the first year of the "12th Five-Year Plan" period, gradual recovery of international economy and some period for arrangement of new control indicators, the emission reduction task will be very onerous.
Put emission reduction by industrial restructuring at a more pre-eminent position. We will make & carry out stricter emission limits of major pollutants of such industries as paper making, textile, leather and chemicals and strictly implement industrial policies and national plan for phasing out or shutting down of outdated productivity. We will keep on emission reduction by projects and management. We will start the project of constructing at least one sewage plant in each country in an all round way and carry out emission reduction of rural pollution sources. We will keep on strengthening sulfur removal in coal-fueled power plants, make more efforts in denitrification in power plants and strictly control vehicle emissions. We will conduct in-depth studies on major technologies such as nitrogen removal in urban sewage treatment plants, ammonia nitrogen treatment in chemical industry, sulfur removal in sintering machines, comprehensive utilization of gypsum, treatment of sludge in sewage treatment plant and leachate from landfill facilities. We will strengthen environmental monitoring and ensure effective and steady operation of built pollution treatment facilities.
We will actively improve policy mechanism conducive to emission reduction. We will study and make public favorable policies on sulfur removal of non-power industries and power price of thermal power plants with denitrification facilities, appropriately raise the charge for treatment of urban sewage and pollutant discharge fee and establish a financial incentive mechanism for emission reduction at enterprise and local level. We will facilitate compensated use and trade of emission right of major pollutants. We will issue economic policies that encourage the prevention and control of rural pollution sources. We will study and develop financial policies that facilitate the application of organic fertilizers, comprehensive utilization of rural waste such as straws and animal waste as well as development of organic agricultural produces. We will conduct trial of vehicle emission charge in key regions and cities.
(V) Give full play to the comprehensive role of environmental protection in facilitating the shift of economic development mode and improvement of public welfare
Actively carry out environment impact assessment of plans. Each province and department will be urged to conduct environment impact assessment of plans according to law during the process of developing its "12th Five-Year Plan". We will speed up environment impact assessment of plans of major areas such as hydropower development, economic development zones, and industrial parks (zones) and strengthen overall plan for layout, structure and scale of industries. We will report to the State Council the findings of strategic environment assessment of five big regions and facilitate their applications. We will facilitate environment impact assessment of the strategy for development of West China and release the Guide for the Management of Environment Impact Assessment in West China.
Deepen environment impact assessment of construction projects. We will strictly control low-level redundant construction of the industries with high energy consumption and heavy pollution and accelerate phasing out of outdated productivity as well as merging and reorganization of enterprises. For construction projects in chemical or petrochemical industries, we will adhere to the priority of environment impact assessment of plans, optimize project layout and identify measures & requirement for prevention and control of environment risks. We should be very cautious on approval of petrochemical projects in environment sensitive regions such as areas near drinking water sources, bank of rivers & lakes and areas with dense population. For construction projects of iron & steel industry, we will firmly carry out the spirit of the State Council on acceleration of structural adjustment of iron & steel industry and establish long-term supervision mechanism. For construction projects in hydropower industry, we will adhere to the principle of "Ecology first, overall plan with appropriate development and ensuring baseline". Focusing on environment impact assessment of plans, we will impose strict requirements for EIA of hydropower station construction projects.
Keep strict supervision on environmental law enforcement. We will further carry out special environmental protection campaign on sanctioning the enterprises that discharge pollutants against laws & regulations and ensure public health, firmly punish environmental infringements of any enterprise with heavy metal pollution or disposal of hazardous waste. We will make more efforts in supervision on environmental protection in key regions and typical cases on blacklist, accountability and follow-up supervision. We will facilitate special campaigns on addressing pre-eminent environmental problems in construction field, focus on our efforts in "two corrections" (construction without getting the approval or putting into operation without any check & acceptance). We will deepen our activities on rural and eco environment supervision.
Improve the mechanism for preventing environmental risks and environment emergency response. We will strengthen risk management, concentrate on comprehensive environmental control of chemical enterprises along rivers and surrounding lakes and spare no efforts in curbing the rising trend of environmental pollution accident in chemical industry. We will focus on development of environment emergency response program and management and properly handle various kinds of sudden environmental pollution accidents.
Carry out the plan for prevention and control of heavy metal pollution in an all round way. We will divide the task to each relevant province (autonomous region and municipality) and department and make great efforts in preventing and controlling environmental infringements of key regions and major industrial enterprises that discharge heavy metal pollutants. We will release the Measures on Examination of the Implementation of the Plan for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution as soon as possible and establish accountability system. We will facilitate the trial work on liability insurance for heavy metal pollution and applicable testing activities for automatic monitoring of heavy metal pollution.
Keep on promoting environmental management of chemicals. We will carry out prevention and control of POP and mercury pollution; facilitate legislation on environmental management of hazardous chemicals; improve & standardize indicator system for management of hazardous waste; establish and improve the information system on dismantling and treatment of waste electric & electronic products.
(VI) Further strengthen pollution prevention and control of key river basins, regions and marine areas
Making more efforts in prevention and control of water pollution. We will finish the overall examination of implementation of the "11th Five-Year Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution of Major River Basins". We will carry out the National Plan for Environmental Protection of Urban Drinking Water Source Areas in an all round way; assess urban drinking water source areas of cities at or above prefecture level; establish technical & management system for assessment of biosafety of major lakes, reservoirs and river basins, and launch demonstration projects on prevention and control of groundwater pollution. We will adhere to the policy of overall consideration of land and seas as well as rivers & seas, and prevention and control of pollution and ecological damage of marine environment in a systematic manner.
Promoting prevention and control of air pollution. Focusing on Beijing, Tinajin and Hebei region, the Yangtze River delta and Pearl River delta, we will speed up the implementation of the mechanism for joint prevention and control of pollution at regional level. We will strengthen our work on ensuring good urban air quality and graded management, facilitate prevention and control of air particulates and VOC pollution, and strictly control pollution by vehicle emissions.
Strengthening prevention and control of industrial pollution and urban environmental management. We will facilitate clean production of major enterprises and pollution prevention and control of major industries, improve the environmental protection examination system for listed companies and facilitate the development of National Model Cities on Environmental Protection.
(VII) Strengthen the supervision & management of nuclear & radiation safety
Promote the development of system of nuclear safety experience feedback system and always take supervision on the safety of in-service nuclear facilities as the top priority. We will strengthen safety review and supervision on new and expanded nuclear power stations, reactors and nuclear fuel circulation facilities as well as nuclear safety equipment. We will intensify safety management of transportation of nuclear materials and radioactive substances. We will enhance supervision and management of radioactive sources especially mobile radioactive sources with high risks. We will promote the decommissioning of old and waste nuclear facilities and treatment of radioactive pollution left by early nuclear activities; carry out decommissioning of civil radiation devices and collection of waste radiation sources; promote the treatment & disposal of radioactive wastes; and facilitate environmental protection of mining and metallurgy of uranium mines and associated radioactive mines.
(VIII) Vigorously facilitate environmental protection and ecological conservation in rural areas
Further implement the policy measure of "employing award to facilitate prevention and control of pollution". We will carry out mass environmental control of rural environment and assessment of environmental protection performance. We will strictly control agricultural non-point pollution, make more efforts in treatment of pollution of plants, mines and enterprises, and prevent the shift of pollution to rural areas. We will facilitate trial on target responsibility system for comprehensive environmental control of rural environment. We will make good preparations for intensified investigation on soil pollution in major regions across the country.
Further strengthen ecological conservation. We will do well the division of the activities identified in the China’s Strategy and Action Plan for Conservation of Biodiversity (2011~2030) and conduct conservation and restoration of biodiversity and demonstration of poverty alleviation. We will carry out the Circular of the General Office of the State Council on Relevant Work of Good Management of Nature Reserves and strengthen supervision & management of development & construction activities relevant to nature reserves. We will launch the program of remote sensing investigation and assessment of "10-Year (2000~2010) Change of Eco Environment of China".
(IX) Do well activities in policies, laws & regulations, science & technology, publicity and international cooperation
Facilitating environmental protection legislation process. We will accelerate the drafting and review of amended Environmental Protection Law and keep on promoting the legislation on protection of natural heritages. We will facilitate the development and revision of such laws & regulations as Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Law on Protection of Soil Environment, Regulations on the Management of Environmental Monitoring, Regulations on Prevention and Control of Livestock and Fowl Farms and Regulations on the Management of Radioactive Waste Safety.
Improving environment economic policies. We will keep on amendment of the List of Product with Heavy Pollution and High Environment Risk; deepen the policy on "green credit", "green securities"; facilitate environmental protection liability insurance; improve the "polluter pays" system and study on collection of environment tax. In addition, we will apply well the findings of the study on macro strategy for China’s environment protection.
Guiding innovations in environmental science & technology. We will spare no efforts in key research project on the prevention and control of water pollution; promote special research projects on such areas as air, soil and environmental criteria; strive for listing and construction of "National Key Lab on Environment Criteria and Risk Assessment", develop stricter environment standards for discharge of pollutants, actively promote development of environmental protection industry and finish well special investigation on environment health of key regions across the country.
Doing well environmental publicity and education work. Centering on the central work, we will make more efforts in publicizing the measures & achievements of exploring new path to environmental protection and uplifting ecological civilization, and strive for new progress in public media and mobilizing public participation in environmental protection.
Deepening environmental international cooperation. We will organize well CCICED Annual General Meeting and CCICED 20 Anniversary Topic Forum and finish the establishment of the Fifth Phase of CCICED. We will continuously promote multilateral, bilateral and regional international cooperation, do well our work of negotiation on international environment conventions and domestic implementation and steadily facilitate international cooperation on nuclear safety.
(X) Keep on enhancement of capacity building in environmental monitoring supervision, emergency response and information
Capacity building is one of main focuses in the "12th Five-Year Plan". We will practically strengthen capacity building of national environmental protection department and intensify the capacity building of grass-root level environmental protection departments in ethnic group regions, central & western part of China as well as under-developed regions. The project on construction of buildings for environmental protection monitoring and law enforcement at grass root level has been included in the management of national capital construction for the first time. We should make scientific plan with careful organization to ensure the achievements.
Promote standardization of environment monitoring stations. We will explore and establish environment quality information release platform at national and local levels, and examine the implementation of "Three-Year Action Plan for Management of Environment Monitoring Quality". We will do well trial monitoring on greenhouse gases, ozone and haze and explore biodiversity monitoring. We will facilitate the plan for launching follow-up satellites for environment and remote sensing monitoring. We will strengthen the standardized development of environment law enforcement, and raise the up-to-the-standard rate of environmental supervision institutes at all levels. We will carry out demonstration work on standardization of the capacity in environment emergency response at city and county levels, establish regional material database for environment emergency response and raise our capacity in environment emergency response. We will accelerate the development of "digital environmental protection" program, keep on the promotion of major information projects, expand the coverage of network and strengthen the capacity in comprehensive development and utilization of environment information resource.
Strengthen the development of institutions and talents. We will facilitate capacity building and reform of environment institutions. With more competitive selection, we will speed up cultivation of good officials and facilitate the exchange of post of officials. We will make more efforts in training of officials to improve their comprehensive capacity. We will carry out the "100 environmental protection talents" program and cultivate the leaders in the field of environmental protection.
Seek for excellence. We will facilitate the development of CPC committees and institutions good at learning and develop good atmosphere in which everyone learns the role models, finds the gap, sets an example and seeks for development. We will strictly carry out the responsibility system for building a fine party culture and keeping its organizations clean and the policy of clean governance of leaders, utilize the power in the right way, be strict towards ourselves, have integrity and work always in the interest(s) of the public with caution and work for our country & the people.
"A platform of nine layers high starts with a scoop of earth. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Let us closely unit around CCCPC headed by General Secretary Hu Jintao, make scientific plan with innovations, meet the challenges, actively explore new path to environmental protection, live up with historic mission and full trust placed by the people, and welcome the 90th anniversary of the establishment of Communist Party of China with great achievements of environmental protection work！