新闻
China has managed to reduce the emission of major air pollutants and greenhouse gases while maintaining economic growth over the past six years, a report has found.
China’s GDP grew by 39 percent and its energy consumption increased by 11 percent from 2013 to 2018. During that time, the average density of PM2.5 particulate matter and sulfur dioxide in 74 major Chinese cities that adopted new air quality standards in 2012 went down by 42 percent and 68 percent respectively, according to the China Air Quality Improvement Report.
The report was published on Wednesday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, during the Global Celebrations for World Environment Day, for which China is a host country this year. Officials at the event, themed Beat Air Pollution, included Vice-Premier Han Zheng and Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of the UN Environment Programme.
China’s intensified efforts in environmental governance have proved to be an efficient impetus for the country’s high-quality development and officials will further promote reform to maximize results, the head of the country’s top environmental watchdog said.
“Environmental governance has proved itself in China to be an important impetus for high quality economic development to strengthen ecological and environmental management in the new era,” addressed by Li Ganjie in 2019 CCICED AGM in Hangzhou, minister of ecology and environment and also executive vice-chairman of CCICED.
The environmental protection sector’s contribution to economic development has increasingly grown and has become a highlight of China’s economic growth. In 2018, at least $16.6 billion was invested to treat polluted water in key urban areas, and investment in ecological protection and environmental rehabilitation in China rose by 43 percent year-on-year.
The administration of China’s largest inland saltwater lake has issued a statement to ban inappropriate activities, including taking wedding photos, in the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve.
According to the statement, all tourism websites, travel agencies and tour guides are banned from packaging privately-built passages and illegal scenic spots into their tourist products for business promotion. It is strictly forbidden to set up privately-built passages and illegal scenic spots along the highway around the lake. Other activities such as sand motorcycle and sand sliding are also banned.
Dubbed the “most beautiful lake in China,” Qinghai Lake is vital in ensuring ecological security of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The lake had been shrinking since the 1950s, but combined effects of conservation and the regional climate changes turned things around in 2005.
Ahead of the ongoing Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, overseas journalists visited the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition on Tuesday, to learn about the capital city’s drive to promote more eco-friendly lifestyles.
Co-organized by the conference’s news center and the Beijing Information Office, the tour took in the featured horticulture and iconic architecture of China and its capital, as well as the diverse horticulture featured in countries around the world. More than 60 reporters from 50 media outlets of 30 countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Costa Rica and Argentina joined the tour.
With the theme of “live green, live better”, the 503-hectare horticultural expo opened on April 29 and will run until Oct 7. More than 80 countries and international organizations have built 41 outdoor exhibition areas, comprised of 34 independent exhibition parks and seven jointly-built exhibition parks.