Zhou Shengxian: China Needs to Explore New Paths for

Environmental Protection in the Post-crisis Era

China Energy Net News:

The CCIEE sponsored “International Cooperation Conference on Green Economy and Climate Change” was successfully held at the National Conference Center on May 7. At the function, Mr. Zhou Shengxian, Ministry of Environmental Protection made an important speech.

The following is the text of the speech:

Honorable Director General Zeng Peiyan, honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen and distinguished friends, I would like to share some opinions in regard to accelerating the transformation of economic development modes through environmental protection. Since the 21st century, the process of globalization has continued to progress, but with it has come increasingly apparent global environmental issues. Today, environmental issues have become highly complex international issues involving numerous aspects. We have come to the realization that that the essence of environmental problems is embodied in development modes, economic structure, modes of production and consumption. The international financial crisis that broke out in September 2008 was the largest challenge to the world economy since the Great Depression of the last century. The international community and the governments of various countries have started to make great efforts to explore new policies and paths forward. In the RMB 4 trillion incentive program launched by China in the wake of the crisis, RMB 210 billion has been used for energy conservation, emissions reduction and eco-construction. In addition to support given to independent innovation, a total of RMB 370 billion has been assigned to combat climate change. The proportion of investment in this aspect is as high as 14.5% of the total. With efforts to develop the green economy and implement new policies, environmental protection has been pushed to the front line in the effort to combat the international financial crisis.

The Chinese Government has always placed a key focus on environmental protection. It has defined environmental protection as a national policy, deemed sustainable development as a national strategy and regarded the strengthening of environmental protection as an important measure in adapting to the financial crisis and the post crisis period. China is actively exploring the protection of its environments so as to promote social harmony. The past 30 years of reform and opening up has witnessed the rise of environmental protection in China. During this period, China has also sought out new paths for environmental protection. To seek out new paths, it is essential that the major principles and directions are underlined first. From a wide perspective, we must persist in securing a more important strategic position for environmental protection and accelerating the transformation of environmental protection work. In terms of our values, we must be committed to the belief that environmental protection is for the benefit of the people and continue to resolve prominent environmental problems relating to the welfare of the public. In terms of approaches, we must strive for harmony between people and nature, and strive to make our natural environments clean. We must develop innovative mechanisms and combine forces throughout society under the banner of environmental protection as soon as we possibly can.

To explore new paths for environmental protection in China, we need to establish a systematic framework system, formulate a macroscopic strategic system for environmental protection which fits in with the situation of China, establish an all-round preventive system and develop an effective environment governance system. This also calls for improving environmental laws, rules, policies and criteria applicable to economic growth, improving management systems and forming a social action system that involves all people. To explore new paths for environmental protection in China, we need to promote the coordination and integration of the environment and the economy. Protecting the environment, in essence, is about correctly handling the relationship between the environment and the economy. A sound economic policy is also a sound environmental policy, and a sound environmental policy is also a sound economic policy. To explore new paths for environmental protection in China, we need to do a good job of responsive environmental protection both in and after the international financial crisis. In recent years we have placed a focus on environmental work in response to the financial crisis and the post-crisis period. With this as a guideline, we have sought to cut emissions with a focus on prominent environmental problems. As a result, emissions of main pollutants have been lower than originally projected. From 2001 to 2009, emissions of sulfur dioxide have been reduced by 13.14%, meaning that the target for the reduction of emissions was attained one year in advance. Since 2006, China has increased its capacity in the treatment of urban wastewater by 44 million tons. By the end of 2009, the percentage of installed capacity in nuclear electricity has risen to 71%. The urban wastewater treatment ratio has also been increased to 72.3%. Some indicators have continued to witness improvements. Compared with 2005, the concentration of sulfur dioxide in key cities in 2009 has dropped by 24.6%.

This is a crucial time for China to in which it can only achieve sustainable development if it accelerates the transformation of economic growth modes. The key to accelerating the transformation of economic growth modes is to establish a powerful framework to provide a strong external force in support of the further enhancement of environmental protection. In return, the transformation of economic growth mode can better serve environmental protection.

Environmental protection is able to promote the transformation of economic growth modes in a number of aspects. This is embodied in the five aspects of guidance, optimization, boosting, extension and value adding. We will start from the following five aspects. First, we will engage in initiatives to develop a green economy, a low-carbon economy and cyclic utilization, so as to drive on economic transformation. We will develop green industries and promote advanced technologies in addition to developing and promoting modern technologies to conserve energy and cut pollution. Second, we will further enhance our environmental impact evaluation system, thereby controlling high-polluting, high-energy-consuming and resource-dependent enterprises from the headstream and restricting over-capacity and low-level projects. Third, we will oversee energy conservation and emissions reduction, promote the adjustment of the economic structure, promote emissions reduction from structure and management, and make efforts to achieve key results on the basis of our preset emissions reduction targets. Fourth, we will improve environmental laws, rules and policies, optimize resource allocation, boost price reform of resource-dependent products, reform environmental costs and enhance policies pertaining to the green economy. Fifth, we will strengthen innovation of environmental technologies and their capacity, and bolster the market-oriented environmental protection industry.

We believe that as long as we accelerate and promote the transformation of economic growth modes as we seek out new paths for environmental protection, we will be able to find a balance between the environment and the economy and achieve green development. Thank you very much. (Source: China Energy Net)

 

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