Environment Governance and Low Carbon Economy in China - Green Low-Carbon Development in China - page 148

6.9.5 Strategies to Achieve the Environmental Objectives
in the 12th Five-Year Plan
Specific measures in the 12th Five-Year Plan primarily depend on structural
adjustment and the introduction of more sophisticated emission reduction policies.
In terms of structural adjustment, the Chinese government could push for
eliminating backward production capacity by raising the emission standards of
heavy polluting industries like paper mills, textile, chemical industries and so
on. In addition, in the 12th Five-Year Plan period, environmental protection
departments will strictly control low-level redundant construction of energy inten-
sive and high-emissions industries, also accelerating the elimination and mergers of
backward production capacity.
As for the chemical and petrochemical projects, we adhere to a process that first
requires an environmental impact assessment, which will optimize the layout of the
project and make clear the requirements of environmental risk-prevention
measures. We need to be particularly cautious when examining and approving
petrochemical projects located near drinking water sources, on river banks, in
densely populated areas and other sensitive areas. As for the construction of the
steel industry, we need to establish long-term regulatory mechanisms and strictly
insist on environmental impact assessment for hydropower projects as well.
On the policy side, the State will introduce a series of reduction policies
facilitating emissions reduction, including the research and introduction of
desulfurization in non-electric industry, preferential electricity pricing for the
denitrificated thermal power industry, appropriate disincentives in the structuring
of urban sewage treatment fees and charges, the establishment of corporate
subsidies and regional emission reduction incentives, and experimental fees for
vehicle pollution in key regions and cities.
The Chinese government has placed great importance on environmental protec-
tion in the 12th Five-Year Plan and has made it part of the State Council's Special
Plan. On April 21, 2011, Zhou Shengxian, the minister of the Ministry of Environ-
mental Protection of China, said that the Environmental Protection 12th Five-year
Plan is expected to be issued soon. The plan will focus on solving environmental
problems that threaten public health and sustainable development and further
promote the four strategic tasks: reducing total emissions, strengthening the
improvement of environmental quality, preventing environmental risks and
perfecting basic environmental public services. The plan will make a breakthrough
in soil remediation, air quality, water quality and so on.
References
1. Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China. (2012). National
environmental quality status report 2011 . January, 2012.
2. Zhao Hualin. (2010). Establishing a long-term mechanism for pollution reduction, realizing
the goal of pollution reduction . January18, 2010.