China.org.cn | August 16, 2024
Southern Metropolis Daily:
We have noticed that the action plan places greater emphasis on green and low-carbon transformation of transportation. What measures does the action plan include for developing a green transportation system? Thank you.
Liu Bingjiang:
You are very observant and have identified a highlight. Frankly speaking, from the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan in 2013 to the Three-year Action Plan for Blue Skies in 2018, we have been continuously exploring effective ways to address transportation-related pollution. While we have seen significant success in coal-related pollution control, pollution from mobile sources has become more prominent. Every time we experience smog, we have monitored that nitrogen oxides are a major factor driving the rapid increase in PM2.5. The annual report released by the MEE shows that mobile sources are the primary contributors to the emission of nitrogen oxides.
For tackling transportation-related pollution sources, the action plan has much more quantified indicators compared to the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan and the Three-year Action Plan for Blue Skies. Previously, we have gathered experience and explored new paths in various aspects, and are now entering a phase of comprehensive management. The previous eight years of transportation structural adjustment has achieved fruitful results. In 2017, the Tianjin Port suspended the acceptance of coal that was transported by road, and then all ports halted coal transports by heavy trucks, marking a new national initiative to shift transportation from road to rail. Since then, rail freight volume had increased for six consecutive years. Our national rail freight volume is close to 5 billion tons, accounting for nearly 10%. That number is approximately 40% in developed countries, so we are still a long way off.
Progress has been made in the promotion of zero-emission mobile sources. We can see that more and more buses in urban areas are becoming electric or new energy vehicles. From 2013 to 2022, the percentage of new energy vehicles in the country's 700,000 buses increased from 20% to nearly 80%. Many urban garbage trucks have also started to go green. More essentially, as we promote ultra-low emissions in steel enterprises, we require clean transportation. The annual application of hydrogen-powered and electric heavy-duty trucks has grown from zero to tens of thousands. Addressing air pollution provides application scenarios for new energy heavy-duty trucks, which results in breakthroughs.
Emissions of motor vehicles have been reduced significantly. During the past eight years, China's motor vehicles' emission standards have aligned with international ones, and around 40 million old vehicles have been phased out. Special campaigns have been launched for non-road machinery. There have been 19 recalls involving 17 companies and 3.25 million motor vehicles due to emissions. These are concrete actions that we have taken for environmental protection.
Breakthroughs have been made in the electrification of non-road mobile machinery. Sales of electric forklifts now account for 60%, and 94% of those under 3 tons are electric. The electrification of other non-road machinery, such as machinery at airports and ports, is also being advanced extensively.
Given the high proportion of nitrates in PM2.5, being the primary contributor, the newly issued plan places the greatest emphasis on low-carbon and green transformation in the transportation sector. this section has the highest number of quantitative indicators and the most detailed and specific measures. We believe that the coming years will present a significant opportunity. Among these, there are several key points:
First, the adjustment of the freight transport structure is more focused on key sectors. In the coal sector, the plan strengthens requirements for medium- and long-distance transport of coal and coke from major coal-producing regions, aiming to increase the proportion of railway transportation to 90%. Meanwhile, the plan prioritizes clean transportation in the approval and supervision of coal and related industry projects, aiming to achieve "upstream supervision" of the transport process. The plan expands the scope for constructing dedicated railway lines in key industrial sectors. It specifies construction requirements for facilities handling over 1.5 million tons of annual freight, including logistics parks, industrial and mining enterprises, coal storage bases, coal mines, steel plants, thermal power stations, non-ferrous metal facilities, coking plants and coal chemical industries. In the port sector, the plan extends clean transportation targets to major coastal ports in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, aiming for 80% of iron ore and coke shipments to use clean transport methods.
Second, clean development of motor vehicles places greater emphasis on new energy. We will focus on public vehicles and heavy-duty trucks, with the aim of significantly enhancing their level of cleanliness. The plan mandates that new energy vehicles comprise no less than 80% of new acquisitions in the public sector within key regions. It also requires the development of zero-emission fleets for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, particularly in the previously mentioned industries.
Third, the plan strengthens comprehensive management of non-road mobile machinery, detailing specific and achievable requirements for both the transition to new energy alternatives and the elimination of outdated machinery.
Fourth, the plan emphasizes the full chain supervision of refined oil quality. The plan establishes a mechanism for refined oil quality supervision, requiring relevant departments to oversee the entire supply chain from imports and production to storage, sales, transportation, and usage. This oversight aims to ensure quality standards are met and to crack down on the sale of substandard oils as engine fuel. We will also intensify law enforcement efforts in this area.
Next, we'll concentrate on implementing each measure and achieving all specified targets. Thank you.