Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Keywords
Environmental governance • Pollution reduction • National environmental
legislation • Overall emission reduction
6.1
Introduction
Given that the limitations of the environment and natural resources are the
main obstacles to sustainable development, the Chinese government changed its
pollution reduction policy during the 11th Five-year Plan from formulating bench-
mark goals to setting binding targets with legal effects, thus greatly promoting
environmental protection in China. Practice has proven that strengthening govern-
ment responsibility and wisely appropriating tasks at various levels of government
are two important safeguards for achieving great progress in environmental protec-
tion within the 11th Five-Year Plan.
Binding targets for pollution reduction have been met ahead of schedule; initial
success has been achieved in watershed management, ecological construction has
been accelerated, and environmental infrastructure has significantly improved. In
this process, the Chinese government has transformed economic patterns while
undergoing structural adjustments and optimizing development. In doing so, it has
promoted the co-development of the environment, the economy and society as a
whole.
More importantly, the breakthrough in environmental legislation means that
environmental solutions in China have been incorporated into a legal framework.
Goals and requirements for mitigating environmental problems have been made
statutory, institutional and rigid through legislation, which provides a strong
legal basis for achieving environmental goals set forth in the 11th Five-Year
Plan, and the legislation has also set a baseline for solving future environmental
problems.
But we also need to understand that while China's environmental situation has
partly improved, many violations remain unchecked, and the overall situation
is still gloomy. To fix this, the Chinese government in the 12th Five-Year Plan is
actively responding to its international commitments and further strengthening
support for environmental protection goals, such as promoting environmental
development within the 12th Five-year Special Plan and solving impending
environmental problems that threaten public health and sustainable development.
In this plan, the government will complete the four strategic tasks: reducing total
emissions, improving environmental quality, preventing ecological risks and
perfecting basic environmental public services. Breakthroughs are expected in
the fields of soil remediation, air and water quality improvements, and other
areas.
This chapter reviews the main environmental achievements China has made in
the 11th Five-Year Plan period, points out existing problems, and explains goals
and methods to achieve solutions in the 12th Five-Year Plan period.
