.
Read in Chinese
Speakers:
Mr. Huang Runqiu, minister of ecology and environment
Mr. Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of ecology and environment
Ms. Guo Fang, vice minister of ecology and environment
Mr. Dong Baotong, vice minister of ecology and environment and administrator of the National Nuclear Safety Administration
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Sept. 25, 2024
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), as part of the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Huang Runqiu, minister of ecology and environment, to brief you on relevant developments and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of ecology and environment; Ms. Guo Fang, vice minister of ecology and environment; and Mr. Dong Baotong, vice minister of ecology and environment and administrator of the National Nuclear Safety Administration.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Huang Runqiu for his introduction.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you. Good morning, everyone. I am delighted to meet with you again today. First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your long-standing concern, participation and support for our ecological and environmental protection efforts.
High-quality development is the top priority in the new era and in building a modern socialist country in all respects. In recent years, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, the MEE has been committed to driving high-quality development with high-standard protection, and making concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development and boost economic growth. The outcomes of our coordinated approach to development and protection have continually improved.
We have made persistent efforts in the fight against pollution, leading to marked improvements in our ecological environment. We have promoted accurate, scientific, law-based and systematic pollution control s, and advanced continued efforts to keep the skies blue, waters clear and lands clean. As a result, the quality of the ecological environment has improved significantly, with public satisfaction rising from under 80% in 2017 to over 91% in 2023. Many of you have likely witnessed these improvements firsthand. The skies are becoming clearer. Last year, the average PM2.5 concentration in major cities nationwide was 30 micrograms per cubic meter, a 54% reduction compared to 10 years ago, while the number of heavily polluted days decreased by 83%. For four consecutive years, the proportion of days with good air quality has exceeded 86%. In Beijing, the improvement is even more remarkable; terms like "APEC blue," "military parade blue" and "Winter Olympics blue" are now being replaced by a more enduring "Beijing blue." Our waters are also becoming cleaner. Last year, the proportion of surface water classed as excellent and good quality reached 89.4%, an increase of 25.3 percentage points compared to 10 years ago. The Yangtze River's main stem has maintained Class II water quality for four consecutive years, and the Yellow River's for two years. Coastal water quality has reached an all-time high, with 85% of nearshore waters classified as excellent. Moreover, our ecosystems are becoming more beautiful. Last year, the national forest coverage rate reached 24.02%, with about a quarter of the world's new green areas since the beginning of this century having been created in China. We have designated 572 ecological civilization demonstration zones and 240 bases for innovative practices in line with the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," making urban and rural environments more livable.
We have been actively advancing sustainable development through concerted efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. On one hand, we have continuously optimized and adjusted the industrial structure, cumulatively phasing out 1 billion metric tons of outdated coal capacity, 300 million metric tons of steel capacity, and 400 million metric tons of cement capacity. Over 95% of coal-fired power plants and 45% of crude steel capacity have undergone ultra-low emission upgrades, creating the world's largest clean power and clean steel production systems. On the other hand, we have accelerated the clean and efficient use of energy, reducing the proportion of coal in primary energy consumption from 67.4% a decade ago to 55.3% last year. The number of coal-fired boilers has dropped from nearly 500,000 to fewer than 100,000. Additionally, we have completed clean heating and coal management upgrades for 39 million households in northern China. In the green transformation of transportation, over the past decade, more than 40 million high-emission vehicles have been retired, and the share of new energy buses has increased from less than 20% to over 80%. Clean transportation of bulk goods has also seen steady improvement.
We have resolutely safeguarded the ecological foundation of high-quality development, making the path to building a Beautiful China more secure. Over 30% of China's land is now designated as ecological protection zones. A nature reserve system, with national parks as the core, has been established, providing effective protection for 90% of terrestrial ecosystem types and 74% of key national wildlife species. Biodiversity continues to recover, we have achieved "zero import" of solid waste, and various environmental emergencies have been properly managed. Since 2017, we have completed environmental improvements in 185,000 villages nationwide, designated protection zones for 24,000 drinking water sources at the township level and above, maintained stable nuclear and radiation safety conditions, and further strengthened nuclear safety defenses.
We have advanced comprehensive reforms in ecological civilization, continually enhancing the institutional framework for green, low-carbon, high-quality development. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has implemented major initiatives such as central government environmental inspections. The philosophy of lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and the principle of prioritizing ecology and green development have gained wider acceptance. We are building a modern environmental governance system, establishing a nationwide ecological zoning control framework, achieving full coverage of pollutant discharge permits for fixed pollution sources, implementing a major national scientific project for comprehensive environmental management in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and transitioning monitoring systems to digital platforms. We have also established the world's largest carbon emissions trading market, significantly improving our ecological and environmental governance capacity. Furthermore, China has demonstrated its responsibility as a major global player by making solemn commitments to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and has played a key role in promoting the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. As such, China has become an important participant, contributor and leader in global environmental governance and sustainable development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has underscored that the building of the ecological civilization is still at a critical period where we face multiple pressures and have a lot of difficulties to overcome. Moving forward, the MEE will earnestly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The MEE will fully execute the decisions made at the national conference on ecological and environmental protection and advance reforms in the institutional arrangements related to ecological civilization. By so doing, the MEE aims to promote sustained and fundamental improvements to the ecological environment and build a beautiful China where humanity and nature coexist harmoniously.
That concludes my briefing. Next, my colleagues and I will take your questions. Thank you.
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Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Huang. The floor is now open for questions. Please raise your hand and state the news outlet you represent before asking your questions.
CCTV:
In 2023, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued guidelines to comprehensively promote the development of a "Beautiful China," making systemic arrangements on the Beautiful China initiative. My question is for Mr. Huang: How would you describe a "Beautiful China?" What actions have been taken by the MEE to support this initiative? What are the plans moving forward? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your questions. The first question is quite thought-provoking. Since ancient times, numerous poems, songs and paintings made by personages have depicted the magnificent landscapes of our country. For example, Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Du Fu once wrote: "Spring scenery greets the eye; sweet blooms perfume the air." There is also the renowned painting "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" by Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) painter Huang Gongwang. Moreover, the well-known contemporary writer Lao She has also written: "I don't know what paradise looks like, but judging from my life experience, autumn in Beiping (the previous name of Beijing) is paradise." What beautiful words!
General Secretary Xi Jinping has on various occasions used such beautiful and vivid words as "blue sky, white clouds, twinkling stars," "clear water, green shore, fish flying in the shallow bottom," "birdsong, flowers, idyllic scenery," and "turquoise sea, blue sky, clean beaches" to paint for us a new picture of "Beautiful China" characterized by the harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. The development of a "Beautiful China" is not only a matter of great significance for the country that General Secretary Xi Jinping bears in mind, but is also a shared aspiration of the Chinese people. As the minister of ecology and environment, I am committed, along with my colleagues, to making this vision the guiding goal of our work.
In my view, the Beautiful China initiative encompasses at least three aspects, which can be vividly summarized as "outer charm," "inner beauty" and "great temperament." "Outer charm" refers to the beauty of the ecological environment, which is the most significant, prominent and fundamental indicator of the initiative. This includes blue skies, lucid landscapes, clear waters and beautiful urban and rural living environments. "Inner beauty" indicates the high quality of development, which is the intrinsic condition of the initiative. Specifically, we will promote widespread adoption of green and low-carbon production and lifestyles, ensuring that new quality productive forces and eco-friendly production forces become main growth drivers. "Great temperament" represents well-conceived institutional arrangements, which are also key enablers of the initiative. This means basically modernizing the environmental governance system and capability.
The goal set by the CPC Central Committee is to essentially accomplish the building of a "Beautiful China" by 2035. Therefore, the current year and the upcoming decade represent a critical period for comprehensively advancing this initiative. The MEE will effectively shoulder its responsibility in leading the initiative and will continuously promote efforts in this regard, focusing on specific measures in the following four aspects. First, the MEE will establish a three-tiered implementation system. The first two tiers refer to the guidelines to comprehensively promote the development of a "Beautiful China" already published by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, along with the upcoming implementation guidelines for pilot zones dedicated to building a "Beautiful China." The third tier encompasses a total of 24 action plans tailored to the needs of specific sectors, such as "beautiful cities," "beautiful countryside," green finance, green transportation and scientific and technological support, amongst others. These documents are being introduced with the support of related government bodies. Second, the MEE will launch a group of landmark reform achievements. It will issue guidelines on strengthening district-specific management of the ecological environment as well as deepen institutional reforms related to the monitoring, supervision and law enforcement of ecological environment organs below the provincial level. It will also steadily expand the coverage of the country's carbon trading market to include more sectors, as well as study and formulate work regulations for the supervision of ecological environment protection. Third, the MEE will develop a series of demonstrative practice models. It has already introduced 56 cases focused on the development of beautiful lakes and rivers, as well as 20 cases concerning beautiful bay areas. The MEE will continue to develop innovative pilot projects for "zero waste" and low-carbon cities, and explore effective approaches to realize the value of ecological products. Last but not least, the MEE will implement a package of supportive measures. It will establish an evaluation and assessment system on the development effectiveness of the Beautiful China initiative, and make good use of the rule of law, the market, science and technology as well as related policies.
Moving forward, the MEE will remain focused on the goal of building a "Beautiful China," and systematically advance this initiative in a phased, step-by-step and well-planned manner. We will ensure that efforts are made to tackle key challenges during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), consolidate and expand progress during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and achieve overall improvement during the 16th Five-Year Plan period (2031-2035). In the meantime, the MEE will get everyone to participate in the building of a "Beautiful China," intensify efforts to promote the ecological civilization and guide the public to adopt a green and low-carbon lifestyle. By doing so, we will pool greater strength to build a "Beautiful China" and jointly usher in a new chapter for all to prosper individually and collectively.
Thank you.
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China Youth Daily:
As we understand, the MEE in recent years has made certain gains in the fight to keep our skies blue. Blue skies, which were notable enough to be posted on social media a few years ago, have now become a regular expectation. What are the new difficulties and priorities with efforts to prevent and control air pollution currently? What will be the focus next? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Mr. Zhao will take your questions.
Zhao Yingmin:
Thank you for your questions. In recent years, progress in the fight to keep our skies blue has been apparent to all. As Mr. Huang mentioned earlier, China has seen a significant drop in PM2.5 levels over the past decade, making it the fastest country in the world to improve air quality. Not only have the number of blue-sky days increased, but their quality has also improved. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has even hailed Beijing's progress in air quality improvement as "Beijing Miracle." Nowadays, red walls, yellow glazed roof tiles and blue skies have become a common element in the photo albums of both citizens and tourists.
According to the Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China, by 2035, the national PM2.5 concentration should be reduced to below 25 micrograms per cubic meter. This means that the annual average concentration in 339 cities across the country needs to reach the level of Beijing from June to September. There are significant challenges to achieving this goal. In the past, we vigorously eliminated backward production capacity and promoted clean heating in northern China, and comprehensively cracked down on illegal pollution discharges, achieving positive results. However, the emission reduction benefits from these measures have significantly decreased, and our progress on atmospheric pollution control has entered the most difficult stage. In the future, we must rely more on the green and low-carbon transformation of industry, energy and transportation structures, making concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development and boost economic growth. In addition, unfavorable meteorological factors such as spring dust storms, abnormal summer heatwaves, and high humidity and atmospheric stagnation in fall and winter have frequently occurred in recent years, having a considerable impact on atmospheric environmental quality. It can be said that the task of continuously improving atmospheric quality remains arduous and far-reaching.
Next, we will anchor the goal of building a Beautiful China, continue to keep our skies blue as the focal point, solidly promote green and low-carbon transformation and development, and make continuous improvements in air quality to drive high-quality economic development. First, we must control pollution in a targeted manner. We will intensify structural optimization and adjustment, advance high-quality ultra-low emission retrofits in the steel, cement and coking industries, promote the shutdown and consolidation of coal-fired boilers and the substitution of clean energy for industrial furnaces, accelerate the promotion of new energy vehicles, and promote the synergistic enhancement of pollution and carbon reduction. Second, we will continue to control pollution in a science-based way. We will take key regions as the main battleground, regard reducing PM2.5 concentrations as the main line, focus on reducing the number of heavily polluted days, vigorously promote reductions in nitrogen oxides and volatile organic pollutants, and coordinately control ozone pollution. Third, we will emphasize pollution control in accordance with the law. We will further improve the laws, regulations and standards system, deepen the management of pollution discharge permits, strictly carry out supervision and management in accordance with the law, implement tailored policies for enterprises, and resolutely oppose one-size-fits-all approaches.
I believe that through the joint efforts of the whole of society, we will win this battle for blue skies, making blue skies and twinkling stars the norm, and making the people's happiness with blue skies more sustainable. Thank you.
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National Business Daily:
We know that water is the source of life, crucial for production and the foundation of ecology. What work has the MEE done to protect the water ecosystem, and how do you plan to further improve water environments in the future? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
I would like to invite Ms. Guo to answer this question.
Guo Fang:
Thank you for your question. Protecting rivers and lakes is related to the well-being of the people and the long-term development of the Chinese nation. As Mr. Huang just introduced, in recent years, we have continuously carried out the campaign to keep waters clear, vigorously reduced emissions and cracked down on pollution, resulting in significant and transformative changes in our country's water ecological environment protection. Here, I would like to repeat some figures that the minister just mentioned. In 2023, the proportion of surface water classed as excellent and good quality reached 89.4%, exceeding the 14th Five-Year Plan target by 4.4 percentage points. The main stem of the Yangtze River has maintained Class II water quality for four consecutive years, and the main stem of the Yellow River has maintained Class II water quality for two consecutive years. Our mother rivers are gradually recovering vitality. We have mainly carried out work in four areas:
Water environment treatment has been continuously deepened. We all know that water problems occur in the water, but the root causes are all on shore. Only by firmly grasping the investigation and remediation of sewage outlet discharges into rivers and forcibly treating various pollution sources on shore can we solve the problem. Currently, we have investigated 560,000 kilometers of river and lake shorelines and resolved nearly 200,000 issues of direct and random sewage discharges. For example, the Taihu Lake region has continuously strengthened pollution source control and interception, leading the proportion of water quality classed as good in the main rivers flowing into the lake to reach 100% in 2023. An important manifestation is that the maximum area of cyanobacteria blooms in Taihu Lake decreased by 50.8% year on year. In the first half of this year, no significant blooms were detected in the lake, which are at their lowest level since the large-scale outbreak in 2007, demonstrating significant treatment results.
Water ecological protection and restoration have been continuously promoted. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, we have conducted monitoring and surveys of water ecological conditions in China's seven major river basins, carried out pilot water ecological assessments focusing on the Yangtze River basin, established an indicator system centered on water ecosystem health, and guided local authorities to intensify protection and restoration efforts. After 30 years, the Coilia nasus (Chinese tapertail anchovy) has once again migrated upstream to the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake. The beloved "smiling angel," the Yangtze finless porpoise, has also frequently appeared along the river.
Ecological water use has been continuously guaranteed We have issued plans for the ecological environment protection of key river basins, clarified the water flow targets for ensuring the ecological environment of key rivers and lakes, strengthened unified supervision of river basins' ecological environment, and promoted the resolution of prominent issues such as rivers drying up and lake wetland degradation. In 2023, the Yongding River, which had been dry for more than 20 years, achieved year-round water flow, and the ancient spring at Jinci Temple in Shanxi province flowed again after 30 years.
River basin management reform has been continuously deepened. We have promoted the issuance of laws protecting the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, established ecological environment supervision and management institutions for the seven major river basins, carried out basin inspections and provincial inspections in a coordinated manner, improved horizontal ecological protection compensation mechanisms across provinces, and effectively stimulated upstream and downstream collaboration in river basin protection. The Xin'an River, as a pilot for ecological compensation mechanisms across provinces in China, has maintained Class II water quality at the provincial boundary section for 12 years. The compensation mechanism has provided experience, being replicated and promoted in 23 provinces and 27 river basins.
Of course, we must recognize that the prevention of water pollution and the restoration of water ecosystems still face significant challenges and have a long way to go. Moving forward, we'll focus on building beautiful rivers and lakes and strengthening the coordination of water resources, environment and ecology. We'll urge local governments to address severe gaps in environmental infrastructure, promoting integrated upstream-downstream ecological governance systems in key river basins. We aim to steadily improve water ecosystem quality by presenting more scenes of "clear waters, green shores and fish swimming in shallow waters." Thank you.
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China News Service:
Balancing high-quality development and high-level protection is crucial for advancing Chinese modernization. It's also a major challenge for ecological and environmental protection. How should we understand high-level protection? What steps will environmental departments take to address this? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your question. I will answer it. Correctly handling the relationship between development and protection is a longstanding and global challenge in ecological conservation. At last year's National Conference on Eco-environmental Protection, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "five major relationships" that need to be handled in advancing ecological conservation on the new journey. The first and foremost is correctly balancing the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection, which is comprehensive and plays a leading role. High-quality development, which is characterized by prioritizing the ecology and promoting green and low-carbon growth, can only be achieved through high-level protection. This protection is fundamental to and inherent in high-quality development. Conversely, high-quality development can robustly drive high-level protection. So, what is high-level protection, and how can it support high-quality development? Here are my thoughts:
First, we need to focus more on prevention at the source and establish a high-level regulatory system. This is fundamental to reducing carbon emissions and pollutants at their source, thereby improving environmental quality. We must implement ecological and environmental zoning management and differentiated control measures, providing a green standard for optimizing the layout of productive forces from the outset. We'll promote coordinated innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction across various fields and levels, accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation of key industries with high energy consumption and emissions.
Second, we should emphasize precise management and establish a high-level governance system. We'll incorporate precise pollution control requirements throughout our work, accurately identifying types and causes of ecological and environmental issues and pinpointing main contradictions and their key aspects. We'll ensure precision in addressing problems, timeframes, locations, targets and measures, as well as adopting targeted treatments and policies. We'll avoid one-size-fits-all approaches, simplistic methods and formalism.
Third, we should focus more on regulatory enforcement and establish a high-level standards system. By promoting the optimization and upgrading of the standards system, we'll regulate pollutant emission behaviors and drive technological advancements across various industries, leading the green transformation of economic and social development.
Fourth, we should focus more on market guidance, forming a high-level policy system. We'll improve the market-based allocation system for environmental elements like emissions rights and carbon credits and accelerate the establishment of an environmental credit supervision system. We'll also coordinate the implementation of systems such as realizing ecological product value, ecological protection compensation and environmental damage compensation. This will inspire internal motivation to preserve the environment.
Finally, we must place greater emphasis on technological empowerment and build a high-level technical system. We'll deepen reform in science and technology systems for ecological and environmental protection, establish a green technology innovation system, and implement major initiatives for scientific and technological innovation in ecological and environmental protection. These efforts will enhance technological support for the Beautiful China Initiative.
High-quality development is the goal and value orientation of high-level protection. In this context, new quality productive forces are key to the bidirectional transformation between high-level protection and high-quality development. The MEE recently introduced policies to promote new quality productive forces in the ecological and environmental field. These are expected to enhance environmental protection's role in guiding, optimizing and driving change, promote comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, shape new drivers and advantages through high-level protection, and continually strengthen the green foundation of high-quality development. Thank you.
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Cover News:
Ecological and environmental monitoring is fundamental to ecological and environmental protection and critical for ecological conservation. What work has been carried out in the field of ecological and environmental monitoring? What steps will be taken to develop a modernized monitoring system to ensure harmonious coexistence between people and nature? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Mr. Dong will answer this question.
Dong Baotong:
Thank you for your question. Ecological and environmental monitoring is indeed foundational and supportive of protection efforts. Our monitoring work has reached new heights in recent years, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We've built the world's largest, most comprehensive and technologically advanced ecological and environmental monitoring network, providing crucial support for environmental protection and pollution control. Our monitoring data strongly support the achievements Mr. Huang mentioned.
Regarding network scale, the ministry directly monitors 33,000 stations, including 1,734 air monitoring points, 3,646 surface water points, 1,912 groundwater points, 1,359 marine points, 1,834 radiation points, and 22,000 soil monitoring points. This system covers all cities at the prefecture level and above, key river basins, and waters under China's jurisdiction.
In terms of monitoring elements, in addition to traditional key monitoring factors such as water, air and soil, new elements have been added in recent years, including environmental quality, biodiversity, greenhouse gases and new pollutants. The process now covers basically all the monitoring elements.
In terms of technical means, automated monitoring has taken precedence over traditional manual monitoring as the main approach, with drones, mobile monitoring vehicles and lidar having become standard equipment at monitoring stations across the country. As the leading user, the MEE has a total of seven satellites in orbit, providing strong support for scientific monitoring.
Based on this modern monitoring network, we can now ensure that the monitoring data is true, accurate, comprehensive, fast and new in all aspects. This plays a crucial supporting role in the prevention and control of pollution. We are able to understand the baselines, follow the dynamics, identify issues, as well as grasp the rules to guide the advancement of pollution prevention and control.
Next, in accordance with the requirements of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, we will focus on promoting the modernization of the environmental monitoring system. This is our overall goal, and specifically, we will take the digital and intelligent transformation of monitoring as a driver. The key aspects include:
First, enhancing the monitoring network. As mentioned earlier, now that the entire system is in place, we will work to improve the integrated monitoring network covering land, sea, air and space, and address weak links, such as marine monitoring, environmental quality monitoring, biodiversity monitoring, and new pollutant monitoring. Additionally, we will strengthen the transformation toward automation, digitization and intelligence.
Second, strengthening monitoring supervision. Fraudulent third-party monitoring data from polluting units has drawn significant social attention. We will enhance in-depth supervision, and strictly crack down on data fraud in accordance with the law.
Third, enhancing data application. We will bolster the integration and smart analysis of monitoring data to support the fight against pollution more precisely. A reporter just now inquired about the building of a Beautiful China. Going forward, we will establish a set of monitoring indicators for this goal. The monitoring data will reveal whether a Beautiful China has been built or not. Thank you.
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Tide News under Zhejiang Daily Press Group:
Rural areas are the "back gardens" of cities. Controlling rural pollution is an important task to fight pollution and a significant measure in implementing the rural revitalization strategy. Could you elaborate on the progress made by the MEE in the control of agricultural and rural pollution? What measures will be taken to paint a new picture of livable, business-friendly, harmonious and beautiful rural areas? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
I would like to invite Ms. Guo to answer your questions.
Guo Fang:
Thank you for your questions. Beautiful rural areas are an indispensable part of the building of a Beautiful China. The Green Rural Revival Program of Zhejiang province started by addressing the most prominent environmental issues raised by the public. Over more than 20 years, these villages have achieved a magnificent transformation from "dirty, disorderly and poor" to "green, affluent and beautiful." This has provided valuable experience for rural pollution control and the building of beautiful rural areas.
In recent years, the MEE, in collaboration with relevant departments, has been actively promoting the experience of the Green Rural Revival Program. We have focused on areas in front of and behind houses and along fields and roadsides, and made efforts to address environmental issues that concern the public. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), 67,000 administrative villages nationwide have completed environmental improvements, the treatment rate of rural domestic sewage has exceeded 45%, the utilization rate of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has surpassed 41%, comprehensive utilization of livestock and poultry manure has reached 78%, and the recycling rate of agricultural film has exceeded 80%. Through the following "two focuses and one systematic improvement," the rural environment has shown remarkable improvements.
The first focus is the treatment of rural domestic sewage. Instead of directly applying "urban experiences," the approach involves setting the "three basic" treatment goals, namely: "basically not seeing sewage flowing, basically not smelling odor, and basically not hearing complaints from villagers." We established a bottom line of preventing direct discharge of sewage, and guided localities to adopt tailored strategies and select appropriate treatment technologies and methods, particularly encouraging resource utilization. In places like Wenshan, Yunnan province, treated domestic sewage is reused for agricultural purposes, such as growing vegetables, grains and flowers. This method, which is cost-effective, easy to manage and effective, has been well received by local farmers.
The other focus is the treatment of black and odorous water bodies in rural areas. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), over 3,700 black and odorous water bodies under national supervision and over 6,100 such water bodies under provincial supervision have been treated. Former "smelly ditches" and "dirty ponds" have now been transformed into "picturesque waterscapes" and "gathering places" for residents. For example, in Jincheng, Shanxi province, the treatment of black and odorous water bodies has been integrated into the local efforts to carry forward traditional village culture, recreating the scene of "clean water flowing around the ancient village." Mixi village, the location of the Iron Buddha Temple from the hit game "Black Myth: Wukong," has now become a popular tourist spot. With the National Day holiday approaching, those of you who are interested can visit to see for yourself.
The one systematic improvement refers to strengthening agricultural land and soil protection. We have focused our efforts on the treatment, utilization and conservation of land and soil to ensure food safety. In total, 210 key areas have been designated nationwide, where we set special limits for heavy metal emissions. We have provided support for nearly 400 legacy waste treatment projects and completed the actions against the illegal operations of over 2,300 companies. Efforts have been made to protect the black soil, restore and maintain soil fertility, and promote increases in organic matter and soil health.
Of course, China has vast rural areas where environmental problems still occur from time to time. For example, in some regions, rural sewage treatment facilities have been built but are not operating normally, and livestock and poultry manure as well as household waste is randomly dumped. As such, we have optimized the problem finding mechanism. In order not to increase the burden on the grassroots, we do not evaluate the work of local governments by the number of reports submitted, but rather by random sampling, and we also ask the media to assist with supervision. We and the People's Daily Online formed a special channel, using messages they received from the grassroots as a key source for identifying problems. We conduct special checks that start without prior notice, forgo any form of work report, escort or official hospitality, and go directly to the site at the community level. We have also carried out field surveys, evidence collection, case notification and regular scheduling to discover and resolve problems in a timely manner, in a bid to expand the achievements of rural environmental improvements.
Maintaining our goal of building a Beautiful China, we will formulate implementation plans to support the beautiful countryside initiative, comprehensively enhance the rural revitalization strategy, improve the rural living environment, and make sustained efforts to prevent and control agricultural non-point pollution. By doing so, rural areas are expected to be built into beautiful, livable and happy homes that contain lush mountains, lucid waters, and typical rustic charm. Thank you.
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Guangming Daily:
Nuclear safety is of the absolute utmost significance to nuclear power development. What measures has the MEE taken to guarantee nuclear and radiation safety? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
I would like to invite Mr. Dong to answer your question. He is also the administrator of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA).
Dong Baotong:
Thank you for your question. As you mentioned, nuclear safety is the lifeblood of nuclear power development, and guaranteeing nuclear safety is of the utmost importance. In recent years, the MEE and NNSA have earnestly applied the holistic approach to national security and nuclear security proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and worked hard to guarantee nuclear safety. Our work has mainly focused on the following aspects:
First, we have ensured enterprises that operate nuclear power plants fulfil their principal responsibilities in line with the law. Nuclear power plants are all operated by enterprises. We urge the enterprises to give top priority to nuclear safety, effectively operate the safety guarantee system, and seamlessly connect all sectors.
Second, we have maintained the highest standards and pursued the highest quality. We have done this, first, by formulating the strictest laws and regulations, and keeping higher safety standards compared with other industries. Second, by implementing a strict quality guarantee system including high-quality equipment as well as work management. Third, by starting from the source and adhering to mature design and in-depth defenses, taking into account different elements and risks during the design, and setting up multiple safety barriers to avoid accidents. Fourth, by conducting qualification management and rigorous evaluations of all important staff including operators, welders and nondestructive testers.
Third, we have earnestly performed our supervisory duties, and implemented strict and independent administration throughout the entire process. Whole-process permissions are authorized at each nuclear power plant from siting, design, construction, debugging and operation to decommissioning and the manufacture of certain important equipment. At those key links, we have established several control points and conducted on-site examinations to ensure all the sectors meet the necessary standards. Environmental radiation is monitored around the clock, including effluents and environment quality. At present, 1,834 points are set across the country to monitor the environment around nuclear facilities. On critical nuclear safety issues, we have adhered to prudent decision making to ensure safety and prevent risks. All these are concrete supervision requirements regarding nuclear safety.
Fourth, we have replicated transferable experiences. Problems that one nuclear power plant encounter should be learned from by other nuclear power plants. Abnormal cases during construction and operation must be reported in a timely manner and informed to all plants in the country. We also need to understand about and learn from problems that appear at foreign nuclear power plants, as well as introduce our experiences to them at the same time. Living in a community with a shared future, one country's nuclear safety may affect the overall development of nuclear power around the whole world.
Finally, we have highlighted scientific research on nuclear safety. The National Nuclear Safety Center was established as a scientific research base for nuclear safety supervision to carry out research, make breakthroughs and thoroughly understand relevant topics. We have encouraged enterprises and institutions to make joint efforts to guarantee nuclear safety.
At present, China has approved a total of 102 nuclear power units, among which 57 units are operational, 30 are under construction, and 15 have received approval to be built. China has upgraded from second- to third-generation nuclear power technology, and the fourth-generation technology has begun to be applied, meaning the country's nuclear power development has entered the world's advanced ranks. From the perspective of nuclear safety, China has maintained a good nuclear safety record, and detected no abnormal environmental data so far, which has guaranteed the country's high-quality development of nuclear industry as a whole.
Looking forward, we will implement the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the important directives issued by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection. We will build a strict responsibility system on nuclear safety, and improve the modern supervision system on nuclear safety, so as to achieve high-level nuclear safety and better ensure public safety and environmental health. Thank you.
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The Poster News App:
Carbon market serves as an essential policy tool for China to implement proactive national strategies on climate change and to achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. What has the MEE done to operate and manage the carbon market? In the future, how will it give play to its functions to boost green and low-carbon transformation and achieve the goals of peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality? What progress has been made so far in statistical accounting as a fundamental system for carbon emission management? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
I would like to invite Mr. Zhao to answer this question.
Zhao Yingming:
Thank you for your question. The carbon market is an important approach to controlling greenhouse gas emissions using market mechanisms, and peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. It is also a globally accepted climate governance policy tool. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the construction of the carbon market. In July 2021 and January 2024, they successively launched the China Carbon Emission Trade Exchange and the national voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction trading market, which together form China's national carbon market system. The construction of the carbon market has made positive progress and achieved significant results. These can be summarized in four aspects:
First, a basic legal and regulatory framework has been established. The State Council issued the Interim Regulations on the Administration of Carbon Emission Trading, and the MEE, along with relevant departments, developed 33 rules covering carbon emission accounting and verification, registration and transaction settlement, forming a preliminary multi-level and comprehensive legal and regulatory system.
Second, a foundational support system has been established. The National Carbon Trading Market Information Network has been created, and national registration and trading institutions for carbon emissions and voluntary greenhouse gas emission reductions have been established. Infrastructure for registration, transaction settlement and management platforms has been built and is operating steadily.
Third, the quality of carbon market data and management capabilities has been significantly enhanced. A regular supervision mechanism for carbon emission data quality has been established. Utilizing big data and other technologies, a comprehensive data quality supervision system has been developed, greatly improving regulatory efficiency and the quality of carbon emission data. Additionally, the scientific and standardized data accounting standards and methods for the national carbon market have laid a solid foundation for carbon footprint management.
Fourth, the national carbon market has achieved a stable start and steady operation, with market vitality gradually increasing. As of the end of this August, the cumulative trading volume of carbon allowances in the national carbon market reached 476 million metric tons, with a transaction value of 27.9 billion yuan (about $3.9 billion). The carbon price fluctuated around 90 yuan per metric ton, remaining at a generally reasonable level. Since the national market for voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction trading launched at the beginning of this year, it has attracted attention from various domestic and international parties, highlighting the effectiveness and importance of mobilizing society through market mechanisms to actively participate in carbon reduction, pollution reduction, greening expansion and economic growth.
Carbon emission accounting and verification are the foundation for managing and controlling greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, we have continuously organized the preparation of national and provincial greenhouse gas inventories, regularly publishing unified and authoritative emission factors at various levels. We have refined the carbon emission statistics and accounting system for energy activities and industrial processes, providing essential support services to meet the diverse carbon accounting needs of society. In May, we issued the Implementation Plan for the Building of the Carbon Footprint Management System along with 14 ministries and commissions, outlining 22 key tasks across four areas. We have also released the national standard for carbon footprint accounting of products, creating conditions for the development of specific product carbon footprint accounting standards.
Next, we will align with the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to improve the carbon emission accounting system. We will further expand the industry coverage of the carbon market, release more methodologies, include more participants, and strictly regulate the quality of carbon market data. Our focus will be on building a more effective, dynamic and internationally influential carbon market.
Thank you.
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Shou Xiaoli:
I see two reporters have their hands raised. Last two questions please.
Red Star News:
The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed the implementation of region-specific environmental management systems featuring differentiated, targeted regulation. Could you please introduce the region-specific environmental management systems? And what are the further considerations? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
I would like to invite Ms. Guo to answer this question.
Guo Fang:
Thank you for your question. Mr. Huang has introduced the region-specific environmental management systems with nationwide coverage in his opening introduction. It is well known that our country has a vast territory, and there are significant differences in natural conditions, carrying capacities and functional positioning across different regions. This necessitates careful management of the relationship between development and protection, and ecological and environmental access management from the source. The region-specific environmental management systems refers to adopting differentiated management based on ecological protection red lines, environmental quality bottom lines, and resource utilization upper limits. They serve as the foundation for regional ecological environment management, establishing clear boundaries and bottom lines for development.
Since 2017, the MEE has launched pilot programs in four cities, including Lianyungang and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and expanded nationwide two years later. Currently, the region-specific environmental management systems have been basically established, with provincial and municipal control plans implemented. A total of 44,604 units have been classified into three categories: priority protection, key control and general control, each with a clear entry list specifying what is permissible. Based on this, information platforms for ecological environment management at provincial, municipal and district levels have completed basic functionalities and have been put into operation, supporting digital and intelligent application of policy implementation, environmental access, park management and law enforcement. It has achieved "one map overview, one-click assessment, and one-stop service" at the primary level. For instance, Xiamen was the first to open its region-specific environmental management application system to the public, allowing investment projects to check their compliance with conditions and standards, resulting in a reduction in low-efficiency investments and an improvement of business environments.
The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly proposed implementing region-specific environmental management systems with differentiated, targeted regulation, providing guidance for the next phase of work. We'll focus on implementing reform tasks and achieving "Three Further Steps."
First, we'll further strengthen our work's foundation. This includes promoting the incorporation of region-specific management into the environmental code, increasing support for major national science and technology projects, and researching key technologies such as management unit division and precise control in regional management.
Second, we'll further enhance platform applications. We'll develop guidelines for information platform construction and interface specifications, integrating large amounts of environmental monitoring data. We'll also strengthen interconnection between national and provincial platforms, expand application scenarios and improve platform efficiency.
Third, we'll further create synergy within the system. This includes launching pilot projects that align territorial spatial planning and coordinate pollution reduction with carbon-cutting efforts. These projects will strengthen policy coherence. We'll also promote reforms linking region-specific ecological and environmental management with environmental impact assessments and pollutant discharge permits, enhancing source prevention. By acting early and implementing concrete measures, we aim to ensure high-level protection drives high-quality development from the very outset of environmental management.
Thank you.
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Shou Xiaoli:
One last question, please.
Phoenix TV:
Environmental protection has become a crucial issue in global governance and a key area for international competition and cooperation. China has also transformed significantly from a participant in global environmental governance to a leader. Could you briefly introduce these changes and explain how China plans to contribute more of its wisdom and solutions to global ecological civilization development in the next stage? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your question. The topic you brought up is one that I have deep feelings and insights about, and I'll provide a brief response.
I still vividly remember the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, in 2022, where China held the presidency, and I chaired the conference. At the closing ceremony, as I struck the gavel to announce the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — a landmark global agreement reached after nearly a decade of arduous negotiations to protect the planet's biodiversity — the hall, packed with thousands, erupted in thunderous applause. Participants cheered, embraced one another, and expressed their respect and congratulations for China's contributions as the presiding nation. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. This marked the first time China, holding the presidency, had successfully steered negotiations for a major international environmental treaty. I also deeply realized that this achievement was the result of President Xi Jinping's personal attention and high-level promotion of the process. President Xi Jinping delivered two video addresses during the conference, which played a crucial role in advancing the negotiations and securing the adoption of the framework, demonstrating China's sense of responsibility and leadership as a major global power.
The same applies to the field of climate change. In 2015, it was also under the direct promotion of President Xi Jinping that the Paris Agreement on climate change was reached. Since then, at subsequent climate conferences focused on implementing the Paris Agreement, China has acted as a stabilizer, promoter, and leader in concrete actions. We've strived to build consensus among all parties and advocate for a fair, reasonable, cooperative and mutually beneficial global governance system for climate change. These efforts have been fully recognized and widely praised by the international community.
Over the years, President Xi Jinping has successively put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These major initiatives all incorporate environmental and climate governance as key components, propelling efforts to build a community for all life on Earth. We have made a solemn commitment to the world: we will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Additionally, we've pledged to stop building new coal power projects overseas and to assist developing countries and small island states in developing renewable energy and enhancing their capacity to address climate change. We've signed climate change cooperation and assistance agreements with more than 40 countries, launched the Africa Solar Belt Program, and provided 60% of the world's wind power equipment and 70% of its photovoltaic module equipment. Over the past decade, China's significant technological advancements and large-scale deployment of renewable energy have helped reduce global wind power and photovoltaic generation costs by more than 60% and 80%, respectively. This has made a tremendous contribution to global carbon reduction and green transformation — an internationally recognized achievement.
Since the new era began, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has gained international recognition. A series of core concepts, such as "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," green development prioritizing eco-environmental conservation, harmony between humanity and nature, and building a community for all life on Earth, have been widely promoted globally. These ideas have become advanced concepts guiding global environmental governance, contributing China's wisdom and solutions to global sustainable development. Consequently, China has significantly shifted from participating in global environmental governance to becoming a leader.
Looking to the future, we will uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, continue to deepen international cooperation in ecological and environmental protection, and actively participate in and lead global environmental and climate governance. Together, we will protect our shared home on Earth and make greater contributions to building a clean and beautiful world.
Thank you to all the journalists.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Huang, thank you to all the speakers and thank you to all the journalists for your participation. This concludes today's press conference. Goodbye!
Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Yuan Fang, Wang Ziteng, Ma Yujia, Mi Xingang, Zhang Rui, Chen Xinyan, Wang Wei, Lin Liyao, Wang Xingguang, Li Huiru, Liu Caiyi, David Ball, Rochelle Beiersdorfer, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
