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Protecting Atmospheric Environment and
Ensuring Public Health
─ Keynote Speech at the panel discussion of 20th Anniversary of UNEP
Sasakawa Environment Prize
Gu Xiulian,
Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
Beijing Friendship Hotel
September 27, 2004
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Respected Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen:
Good afternoon!
First of all, please allow me to express my warmest congratulations to the 20th
Anniversary of UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize and to all the laureates of
this prize. I would also like to warmly welcome the experts and scholars
attending the panel discussion on Air.
Atmospheric environmental protection in its nature is a key issue with global
concerns. In order to protect the atmospheric environment, each country in
the world has taken many effective actions and measures and made
significant progress. As a developing country with coal as its main source of
energy, the Chinese Government has always attached great importance to the
protection of atmospheric environment. Over the past few years, we have
adopted a series of positive measures and made some preliminary
achievements. As a result, since the late 1990’s continuous rapid economic
growth has been achieved, coupled with the alleviation of urban air pollution,
the improvement of air quality in a considerable number of cities, basic control
of the spread of acid rain regions and the alleviation of pollution in
southwestern part of China.
Major measures taken by us include the following: (1) Continuously improving
laws on the prevention and control of atmospheric pollution. China has twice
revised “The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and
Control of Atmospheric Pollution”. The law clearly stipulates that the control of
coal soot pollution and car pollution shall be strengthened, total discharge of
pollutant and pollution emission license system shall be implemented in key
regions, and pollution emission fee collected in the light of the type and
amount of pollutants. (2) Vigorously adjusting energy structure, increasing
coal efficiency and promoting clean coal technology. China has spared no
efforts in developing clean energy, actively developing reusable energy and
reducing the proportion of coal in energy consumption structure. As a result,
coal consumption decreased from occupying 76% of the total energy in 1989
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to 67% in 2003. (3) Implementing acid-rain-zone control project and
SO2-pollution-zone control project (The Two Controlled Zones) while focusing
on the hard hit areas. With the adoption of such measures as the
decommission of small-scale thermal power generating sets, desulfurizing
facilities removing and the utilization of low sulphur coals in thermal power
stations and the completion of a series of key pollution treatment projects, the
emission of sulphur dioxide will be reduced. (4) Enhancing the control of
automobile emission and rising dust contamination. Monitoring the emission
of all vehicles under use will be strengthened and The Second Stage
Emission Standard for Light Vehicles (equivalent to Euro-II) be put into effect
across China. In addition, reduction of consumption tax for cars with low
emission will be applied so as to encourage the upgrading of automobile
industry and minimize the pollution caused by automobiles. Furthermore, the
control of rising dust pollution originated from construction sites, roads and
transportation will be reinforced. One of the measures is to increase the area
of green land and hard surface in cities. (5) Publicizing environmental
information. There are more than 100 cities in China that openly publicize both
daily and weekly report on their air quality. This has facilitated public
supervision
and
participation
in
terms
of
atmospheric
environment
management.
The atmospheric environmental quality of a certain number of Chinese cities
has been improved over the past few years through hard work. However, on
the whole, atmospheric environment of China faces a very grim situation The
energy structure with long-term dominance by coal determines the difficulty in
solving soot pollution within short period of time. Increasing automobile
pollution coupled with the multiplication of causes for atmospheric pollution
make it more difficult to improve urban air quality. Moreover, the on-going acid
rain problem imposes direct impacts on the security of regional environment. It
can be said that the atmospheric environment of China is still affected by
heavy pollution. Firstly, huge amount of major pollutants has been emitted into
the air. Secondly, atmospheric pollution in cities is quite serious. Thirdly,
compound pollution occurs in some big cities, which is composed of soot
contamination and automobile exhausted gas pollution. Fourthly, acid rain
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pollution is still a striking problem. China has become one of the three largest
acid rain regions in the world.
Atmospheric pollution not only severely impedes economic development, but
also threatens public health. According to the study by research institutes and
assessment by experts, the total annual loss caused by air pollution is
equivalent to 2%~3% of China’s GDP. Air pollution becomes one of the main
causes of the massive occurrence of respiratory diseases. Meanwhile, it also
leads to such problems as low visibility, more cloudy, foggy and smoggy
weather and affects the outlook of cities.
The Chinese Government has identified the goal of building a well-off society
enjoyed by all people by the end of the first 20 years of the new century. It is
anticipated that by 2020, GDP will quadruple from that of 2000. During this
development process, it becomes a huge challenge for china to explore ways
to improve atmospheric environmental quality, and ensure both economic
development and public health. Faced with this challenge, the Chinese
Government will mainly take the following measures in light of national
conditions, with the overall consideration of the coordinated development
between the economy, society and environment.
Firstly, optimizing energy structure. In view of energy consumption
structure dominated by coals, the Chinese Government has emphasized the
development of clean utilization of coals and increased the efforts in
developing clean-coal technology. With demonstration projects, such
technology will spread widely. In addition, China will also use more petroleum
and natural gas. It will take such measures as accelerating the exploration,
development and use of natural gases as well as importing oversea natural
gases so as to raise the proportion of clean fuels including natural gas in total
energy consumption. Moreover, China will make further adjustment in power
structure in order to fully utilize existing power-generating capacity. As a basic
national policy, China will actively develop hydropower and large-scale colliery
generating sets, while reducing or controlling small thermal power plants.
Appropriate proportion of nuclear power station will also be constructed. At the
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same time, China encourages power and heat co-generation and power
generation with recycled resources. In addition, more efforts will be made to
develop new sources of energy such as bio-mass, wind, solar and geothermal
energy as well as renewable energy.
Secondly, speeding up sulfur-removing process in thermal power plants.
1) The well-established areas and the planning areas of big and medium sized
cities shall not, in principle, build new thermal power stations or expand the
old ones. 2) The construction of new power stations, or the rebuilding and
expanding of old ones in eastern and central part of China and the “Two
Controlled Zones” shall be subject to strict examination and approval
procedures for basic construction. At the same time, desulfurization facilities
will be installed at the time of construction. Moreover, colliery generating
plants that use low-sulfur coals (<0.5%) will be built. 3) Treatment of SO 2
pollution of existing power stations shall be strengthened. The coal-burning
power plants situated in urban areas not complying with urban planning and
not meeting environmental protection requirements shall gradually meet
specified requirements by means of installing desulphurization facilities,
phasing-out old generating sets or relocating. 4) Economic policies
encouraging sulfur-removal shall be quickly developed. The mechanism for
fair competition in the price of on-grid electricity shall be established and a
discounting method for the on-grid electricity of coal-burning power stations
formulated. In addition, a management method for continuous SO2 on-line
monitoring of coal-burning power stations and the control of power generation
with environmental protection as the top priority will be developed.
Thirdly,
stringently
controlling
automobile
emissions.
Public
transportation systems must be a priority of the development agenda. Great
efforts shall be made to develop and utilize clean fuel vehicles. Strict market
accessing system will be applied to the manufacturing of new automobiles,
and the emission standards for new automobiles shall become stricter and
stricter. Moreover, environmental protection monitoring and supervision for all
motor vehicles under use will be enhanced. Environmental law enforcement
will also be strengthened. Vehicles with heavy pollution will be quickly phased
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out. Furthermore, the quality standard for the gas consumed by motor
vehicles will be gradually raised. And the management of the production,
import, transportation and sales of vehicle fuels will be strengthened.
Fourthly, improving energy efficiency and encouraging energy saving.
Campaigns will be launched among the public to advocate the saving of
natural resources and energy so as to build an energy-efficient society.
Energy saving will be the top priority. Energy-saving products will be
developed. With the formulation and improvement of relevant energy-saving
standards, both the quality and heat preservation performance of buildings will
be improved so as to reduce the overall energy consumption. Industries such
as power, chemicals, coal and iron and steel shall include energy-saving
awareness into the whole management of all enterprises, improve production
technology,
develop
energy-saving
equipment
and
reduce
energy
consumption and materials consumed per unit of product. By raising the level
of technology and management skills of the whole industry, the objective of
reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP will be met.
Fifthly, enhancing environmental awareness across the country and
encouraging public participation. More environmental communication and
education activities will be carried out and multi-level training courses held in
order to raise the environmental awareness of the public. In addition,
information on environmental air quality and environmental protection work of
both the government and enterprises will be made open to the public. Public
participation in environmental supervision will be facilitated. In a word, all
sectors of the society will be mobilized to achieve sound environmental
protection.
Ladies and gentlemen:
Atmospheric pollution is an environmental problem with both regional and
global implications. It is also a global environmental issue concerned by each
country in the world. As a big and responsible country, China has attached
great importance to the participation and settlement of global environmental
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problems at the time emphasizing the settlement of domestic environmental
problems. So China is willing to commit itself to international responsibilities
and obligations in line with its development level on the basis of fairness,
justice and equity. Of course, the settlement of global environmental problems
depends upon the common efforts of all countries. Both developed and
developing countries shall, hand in hand, take necessary actions to carry out
extensive and close environmental cooperation so as to protect the
earth—our common home. I believe, through this high-level workshop, we can
further our cooperation in environmental field and make due contributions to
the promotion of global environment and development.
Finally, I wish the very success of this panel discussion and hope foreign
friends have a good stay in China!
Thank you very much.
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