On 5 March, the Report on the Work of the Government was presented at the Fifth Session of the 13^th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China.

I.  A Review of Work in 2021 (the parts related to environment issues)

Ecological conservation was improved.

• Emissions of major pollutants continued to decline, and the average concentration of particulate matter in cities fell by 9.1 per cent to prefectural levels and above.
• The first batch of national parks was officially established.
• The quality of the environment was significantly improved.
• Environmental protection was strengthened, and sustainable development promoted.
• Consolidation of efforts to keep skies blue, waters clear and soil free of pollution.
• Farmers were encouraged to use chemical fertilisers and pesticides more efficiently, and recycling of waste from livestock and poultry farming was promoted.
• Continued key ecosystem protection and restoration projects and fully enforced the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River.
• Installed renewable energy capacity exceeded one billion kilowatts.
• An Action Plan to limit carbon emissions by 2030 was unveiled.
• The China Carbon Emissions Trading Exchange was launched.
• Active steps taken to address climate change.

II .Overall Requirements and Policy Orientation for Economic and Social Development in 2022 (the parts related to environment issues)

• Further improvement in the environment
• Continued reduction in the discharge of major pollutants
• Energy consumption per unit of GDP to be assessed with appropriate flexibility within the framework of the 14th Five Year Plan.
• The exclusion of newly added renewable energies and coal, petroleum, and natural gas consumed as raw materials in the total amount of energy consumption.

III. Major Tasks for 2022 (the parts related to environment issues)

Continue to improve the environment and promote green and low-carbon development.

The Government:

• will increase its efforts to combat pollution and protect and restore ecosystems.
• will promote development while reducing emissions and ensuring greater harmony between people and nature.

Will take holistic steps to improve the environment.

• will work to achieve solid results in the fight against pollution.
• will take coordinated steps to further control and treat multiple air pollutants through coordination between regions.
• will take stronger action to tackle pollution in major rivers, lakes and bays and maintain progress in preventing and controlling soil pollution.
• will strengthen the treatment of solid waste and new pollutants and implement measures to separate waste, reduce waste and promote recycling.
• will improve policies to support environmental protection industries in saving water and energy and recycling waste and end-of-life materials.
• will adopt a more region-specific approach to environmental management, establish thoughtful greening programmes, and implement the protection of mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland and desert ecosystems in a coordinated manner.
• will protect biodiversity and promote the development of the national park-based nature reserve system.
• will make our common homeland greener and more beautiful.

Will take orderly steps to peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality.

• will put into action the action plan to reach peak carbon emissions.
• will drive the shift towards low-carbon development, in line with the master plan and the principle of creating the new before eliminating the old.
• will step up efforts to make coal use cleaner and more efficient, while reducing its use and replacing it with alternative energy sources, in an orderly manner.
• will work to modernise coal-fired power plants to conserve resources, reduce carbon emissions, make operations more flexible and improve heating systems.
• will promote the planning and construction of large-scale wind and photovoltaic power plants with adaptable power sources and increase the capacity of electricity grids to absorb electricity from renewable energy sources.
• will promote research and development and application of environmentally friendly and low-carbon technologies, develop environmentally friendly production processes and services, and encourage the steel, non-ferrous metals, petrochemical, chemical and building materials industries to improve energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
• is determined to stop the blind development of energy-intensive projects with high emissions and lagging production capacities.
• will move from assessing the overall scale and intensity of energy consumption to assessing the overall scale and intensity of carbon emissions, improve policy incentives to reduce pollution and carbon emissions and policy requirements for such emissions, and encourage faster development of environmentally friendly ways of working and living.