War Against Smog

　　National political advisors share their ideas on tackling the country’s environmental challenge

　　On March 3， when this year’s full session of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)， China’s top political advisory body， started in Beijing， the city was again enveloped in heavy smog after just a one-week respite from the last round of smoggy weather.

　　Dense haze shrouded an area of 1.43 million square km surrounding the cities of Beijing and Tianjin， as well as the neighboring Hebei Province from February 20 to 26. The pollution was so severe that on February 21， the Beijing Municipal Government， for the first time ever， issued an orange alert， the second highest in its four-level warning system for air pollution. The smog dissipated on February 27 due to favorable weather conditions.

　　In recent years， Beijing has found itself chronically plagued by recurring smog.

　　“We must wage a war against pollution， just as with the war against poverty，” said Premier Li Keqiang when delivering the government work report to lawmakers at the opening of the Second Session of the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) on March 5.

　　Li admitted that increasing smog and salient pollution are warnings from nature regarding the extensive development model. He said that China must strengthen environmental protection and crack down on pollution using tough tactics.

　　According to Li， a focus should be put on mega cities and regions frequently hit by smog. “We will start by reducing PM 10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter) and PM 2.5 (fine particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter)，” he said， citing key measures such as improving the industrial structure， raising energy efficiency， reducing vehicle exhaust emissions and preventing and monitoring wind-borne dust.

　　The premier also pledged to establish a new anti-air pollution mechanism utilizing government， enterprises and the general public， as well as more coordinated efforts of affected regions in this regard.

　　Concerted efforts

　　“Smog must be tackled through coordinated efforts， as pollutants are transferred across regions by winds. Measures taken on by a single city will not achieve the desired result，” Yu Rucong， a CPPCC National Committee member and deputy head of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA)， told Beijing Review. “For example， air pollutants from the coal-rich Shanxi Province can be easily carried to Beijing by southwestern winds， bringing serious pollution to the capital city.”

　　“The CMA has established a smog monitoring network， which takes air visibility， moisture and PM 2.5 concentration into account，” Yu said.

　　In September 2013， the State Council， China’s cabinet， released an action plan for air pollution prevention and control， which requires smog-prone regions surrounding Beijing， the Yangtze River Delta area in east China and the Pearl River Delta area in the south to take coordinated actions against heavy pollution.

　　Gao Yubao， another CPPCC National Committee member and President of Tianjin Normal University， called to establish a state-level mechanism to conduct regional consultations on environmental impact evaluations， launch crackdowns on environmental offenses， and coordinate information sharing， early warning and emergency response systems for severe pollution. He said that cross-regional emergency drills and training should be conducted regularly.

　　“Although the specific causes of smog are still in dispute， the general consensus is that vehicle emissions is a major source of air pollution，” Li Can， an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences， told Beijing Review.

　　Li Can， a CPPCC National Committee member， said that real-time data show that PM 2.5 levels in downtown areas are remarkably higher than those in suburban areas. “Using low-sulfur fuel products can effectively reduce toxic substances in vehicle exhaust fumes， so the government should gradually raise fuel quality standards and demand that oil companies use cutting-edge technologies to produce low-sulfur gas and diesel.

　　In the government work report， Premier Li said that in 2014， 6 million old high-emission vehicles will be removed from the roads， and diesel meeting the National IV Emission Standard， which requires the maximum sulfur content to be no more than 50 parts per million， will be supplied across the country.

　　Diesel-burning vehicles are responsible for 70 percent of the total nitrate oxide emissions and more than 90 percent of total particulate matter emissions from automobiles in China， according to Xu Guanju， Chairman of the private Transfar Group in east China’s Zhejiang Province.

　　Xu， also a CPPCC National Committee member， said that more attention should be paid to truck emissions in tackling air pollution.

　　Data from the Ministry of Environmental Protection show that total nitrate oxide and particulate matter emitted by trucks， especially heavy duty vehicles， are apparently higher than that emitted by cars， Xu told Beijing Review.

　　China has about 11 million trucks in operation. Xu said that stricter exhaust standards should be imposed on them and their operation efficiency should be improved.

　　In his government work report， Premier Li said that this year， China will cut its energy intensity by more than 3.9 percent， along with reductions in sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand by 2 percent. He also pledged to increase the share of electricity from non-fossil fuels， develop smart grids， promote balanced distribution of energy resources， encourage the development of wind and solar power， as well as start construction of a number of hydropower and nuclear power projects.

　　Liu Zhenya， Board Chairman of the State Grid Corp.， calls for speeding up the replacement of coal with electricity for household heating and industrial production， and vigorously promoting the use of electric vehicles as well as tracking traffic.

　　“Surplus electricity in China’s western and northern regions could be transmitted to its eastern and central regions through ultra-high-voltage power grids，” said Liu， a CPPCC National Committee member.

　　“A major cause of China’s environmental deterioration is inefficient use of resources，” said Jia Kang， a CPPCC member and Director of the Research Institute for Fiscal Science under the Ministry of Finance. “The role of the market in adjusting the industrial and energy structure should be given full play.”

　　Jia suggests pushing ahead with reform on the resource tax， which should be made an ad valorem tax covering major energy resources， including coal. He said that in this way， businesses and the general public will be motivated to cut energy consumption out of their own economic interests.

　　Improving legislation

　　In their separate interviews with Beijing Review， several CPPCC National Committee members urged the improvement of laws and regulations concerning air pollution.

　　Sun Taili， Board Chairman of Tianjin-based Qingda Group， said that China’s Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law， which took effect in December 1989， has not been amended since 2000. “The law mainly addresses pollutants from coal combustion such as sulfur dioxide and dust， but not yet PM 2.5，” he said. “It is imperative to amend the law.”

　　While the law should tackle such types of pollutants as photochemicals and PM 2.5， it should include regional joint prevention and control measures and industrial restructuring as well， said Liu Bingjiang， Director of the Department of Total Pollutants Control under the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

　　“Improving laws concerning environmental protection is very important and controlling pollution according to law should be a focus in the future，” said Vice Minister of Environmental Protection Wu Xiaoqing at a press conference on March 8.

　　Amending the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law was listed on the NPC’s legislative plan in 2011. The draft amendment was deliberated by the NPC Standing Committee for the first time in August 2012， and for the second and third time in June and October last year.

　　Wu said that currently， the draft is being further amended.

　　“The new environmental protection law is expected to be enacted later this year. The sooner， the better，” Wu said.

　　By Miao Xiaoyang