Environmental disasters such as the Songhua River pollution
incident last November have increased international pressure on
China to step up its environmental protection efforts. There has
been serious criticism of China's "pollution prosperity"
development over the past 20 to 25 years and the general view is
that the environmental pollution caused by China is no longer a
domestic problem.
China Business News (CBN) on Monday published an
exclusive interview with Yang Chaofei, director of the Policies and
Regulations Department of the State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA), in which he addressed these issues.
The following are key excerpts of that interview.
CBN: There have been calls from the international
community for China to step up its environmental protection
efforts. Could you give us a brief introduction to the
situation?
Yang: China has faced international pressure in relation to
environmental issues for several years. Allow me to define the five
key issues of discussion: environment security has become an
important element of national security; the total volume of
contamination is huge and this has an impact on the world
environment; environmental frictions with neighboring countries are
rising; a rise in demand for resources is affecting global supply;
environmental problems have become a restriction on foreign
trade.
Environmental issues are so important now that the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) actively supported their
inclusion to the conventional security concept in its Ten Year Plan
on Environmental Law which was passed in February 2001. Last year,
the EU expressed the hope that the Chinese government could also
include environmental protection in its social and economic
development policy.
It is true that contamination that China is responsible for has
an increasingly serious impact on the rest of the world, in
particular neighboring countries. We also acknowledge that our
rising demand for resources to fuel our rapid economic development
is putting more pressure on the international resources market.
CBN: What have we learnt from the Songhua River
incident?
Yang: Let me add some perspective to the discussion. Two
principles apply in international waters issues: the fair and
reasonable utilization of water resources by different states; and
one that governs pollution prevention and elimination, and
compensation for violations.
The Songhua River incident showed us a few things: China is at a
stage where enterprise lacks the necessary environmental protection
capabilities; the types of pollution are also becoming more
complicated; inherent problems continue to trouble certain regions;
law enforcement and environmental protection monitoring functions
are weak; our response mechanism is inadequate.
SEPA should always be on high alert, reinforce the collaboration
between departments on crisis response and management, enhance
pollution prevention and control, and rigidly enforce regulations
on the examination and approval of new development projects.
As far as the government is concerned, it must be fully aware of
the cost of environmental pollution prevention and control,
implement proper zone planning along the rivers and lakes,
establish mechanisms to prevent and control pollution that include
a civil compensation and social insurance system for environmental
damage.
CBN: What policies and regulations on environmental
protection will be implemented during the 2006-2010
period?
Yang: I would like to say that environmental protection and
economic development are organic processes. The sixth national
conference on environmental protection has called for a shift from
a blinkered focus on economic development, to the detriment of
environmental protection, to one that pays equal attention to
both.
With regard to policy-making, it is crucial to abide by the
rules established by the following three systems: environmental
impact evaluation, contamination discharge and emission control,
and environmental protection target responsibility.
The environmental impact evaluation system sets standards that
enterprises must meet. This ensures that pollution and ecological
destruction are prevented from the beginning.
The second system provides for accountability and liability of
anyone including local government officials and central government
ministers found responsible for pollution.
And finally, the third system requires that targets are rigidly
assessed, laws strictly enforced, and the relevant punishment or
incentives handed out.
(China.org.cn by Li Shen, June 14, 2006)