China Pledges $16 Billion To Clean Up Beijing Pollution
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China will spend more than 100 billion yuan ($16.1 billion) over the next three years to reduce pollution in its capital Beijing, reported the China Daily last Friday, as air quality continues to remain above “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” levels – since the start of 2013.
China will spend more than 100 billion yuan ($16.1 billion) over the next three years to reduce pollution in its capital Beijing, reported the China Daily last Friday, as air quality continues to remain above “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” levels – since the start of 2013.
The Beijing municipal government said in a statement that it intended to invest 84.8 billion yuan in sewage and garbage treatment, while another 30 billion yuan would be spent on forestation.
Additionally, Wang Anshun, Beijing’s mayor, said that he would focus on curbing illegal construction work in the city, targeting unapproved structures built on collectively owned land in old towns and high-end communities for demolition by next year.
Pollution was one of the key themes discussed at the recent National Party Congress, where China’s new leaders were confirmed. Zhao Zhangyuan, a professor at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, told the Global Times last Friday that he was sceptical of the plan as the environmental problems in Beijing were too serious to be quickly or easily resolved.
[quote]”It sounds more like political talk by newly appointed officials. For example, the plan didn’t mention any detailed means targeting specific pollution-making industries, or cooperation with contiguous provinces and regions, as air pollution can’t be solved by Beijing alone,” Zhao said.[/quote]Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, added that Beijing needed to back up its anti-pollution claims, even as the government tries defuse mounting public anger over environmental degradation.
[quote]”We want to see real action, while past experience showed us that ambitious government plans always end up with nothing really changing,” Ma said.[/quote]Related: Chinese Businessman Sells ‘Canned Air’, As Pollution Returns To “Hazardous” Levels
Related: China To Spend $372 Billion On Green Projects
As part of its three-year plan, Bejing will set up 47 recycled-water plants and upgrade 20 sewage disposal plants, said the Beijing Water Authority in a statement.
About 1,290 km of pipeline will also be laid or upgraded for sewage disposal, the statement said.
Fang Li, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, further claimed that Beijing’s city garbage treatment capacities would increase by 37 percent by 2015, while about 70 percent of daily waste will be dealt with through incineration or biochemical treatment.
Seven major planned campaigns are aimed at battling Beijing’s notorious smog, including limiting total coal usage to 21.5 million tons, meaning a 5 percent year-on-year decrease from 2012, stricter driving restrictions and strengthened management of car emissions.
