On March 14, 2011, the National People’s Congress of China approved the nation’s new five-year development program known as the Twelfth Fifth Year Plan which aims to create an environment for more sustainable growth by prioritizing a more equitable wealth distribution, increased domestic consumption, and improved social infrastructure.
The plan continues to advocate objectives set out in the previous Eleventh Five-Year Plan to enhance environmental protection and sustainable growth. The “National 12th Five-year Plan on Environmental Protection” released by the State Council compliments China’s achievement in pollution control over the past five years and sets new goals for the future.
According to the plan, China will invest 3.4 trillion RMB toward environmental protection within the next five years, 1.5 trillion of which will be spent on the following “green projects”:
- Major pollutants reduction, such as sewage treatment, sludge treatment, desulfurization and denitrification
- Living environment improvement, such as water/air/soil quality improvement
- Environmental protection in rural areas, such as nonpoint source pollution control from agriculture
- Ecological preservation, such nature reserve development and biodiversity conservation
- Environment risk prevention, such as prevention and control of heavy metal/hazardous chemicals pollution and persistent organic pollutants
- Nuclear safety, such as nuclear safety systems/technology development and radiation monitoring
- Environmental infrastructure, such as the development of waste treatment facilities and water supply projects
- Environmental monitoring, such as environmental monitoring capability development and talent training
The government also plans to launch a series of environmentally friendly economic policies to encourage the development of “green” industries and increase fines for pollution. Some of these policies include:
- Offering incentives to enterprises engaged in sewage treatment, sludge treatment, desulfurization, denitrification and waste disposal
- Improving the pollution charging system so that high-pollution production faces higher fines
- Encouraging bank loan issuance to “green” projects
- Increasing the portion of “green products” on government’s procurement list
“Excessive infrastructure investment over the past years has been a key factor fueling China’s high inflation and also added to financial risks,” said Wang Jun, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. In the future, while the country will continue to build roads, bridges and airports, it will shift its investment focus to sewage treatment plants, water irrigation and other “green” projects, Wang added.
Sources and Related Links:
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