Cleaning up Environmental policies & practices in China Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Wednesday September 26th 2001 - Thursday September 27th 2001

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Introduction

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Realisation of the seriousness of the state of the environment in China has forced the Chinese government to take precautions to stop the further deterioration of the environment.

In Beijing alone, the World Bank has recently approved a US$349million loan to aid Beijing in:

Replacing coal-burning boilers with gas-turbine boilers
Installing more energy-efficient heating equipment
Building a sewage collection and treatment system
Strengthening the capital’s environmental management.
Beijing’s interest in cleaning up the environment is heightened by its determination to win the 2008 Olympic bid.
Similar projects are taking place all over China and the State Environmental Protection Administration has claimed that by 2005, the level of pollutants discharged by industry and the air and water quality of 100 key cities will meet relevant standards.

There is no doubt that the government is deeply committed to its policies of environmental protection, but
How strictly are these policies being implemented, particularly in rural areas?
What are the authorities doing to enforce environmental rules and regulations?
What progress has been made so far?
How is public awareness of environmental protection being raised?
Government policies focussing on energy conservation and energy efficiency has led to natural gas, a cleaner fuel than the widely used coal. However, there are still opportunities to improve the overall efficiency of energy use in China and alternative energies need to be further developed. International cooperation in this area is being sought.

China is hoping to attract more foreign investment for pollution control during the Tenth Five Year Plan. During the Ninth, foreign investors injected some US$4bn, largely in establishing pollution treatment facilities. Analysts predict that the environmental protection industry will grow in double digits annually in the following five years. The industry is currently worth US$30 billion in China—by 2010, it will be worth US$250billion, 2% of GDP.

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Helen Yu
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