On December 31, the National Development and Reform Commission released the “14th Five-Year Plan for the Integrated Management of Water Environment in Key River Basins ” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The Plan consists of six chapters: Planning Background; General Requirements; Focusing on Key Lakes to Promote Conservation and Management; Promoting Integrated Management of Major Rivers and Streams; Project Implementation and Safeguard Measures.

The plan determines the basic principles of ecological priority, green development, systematic governance, coordinated approach, pilot first and steady progress. The plan defines that by 2025 a more complete urban water pollution control system should be basically formed and the management and sustainable development of aquatic ecosystems in river basins should be expanded. It also aims to support the implementation of regional strategies and focus on improving governance structures for large river basins.