Decision of the State Council on Implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development and Strengthening Environmental Protection
Decision of the State Council on Implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development and Strengthening Environmental Protection
Decision of the State Council on Implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development and Strengthening Environmental Protection
Guo Fa [2005] No. 39
December 3, 2005
Governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, ministries and commissions, and organs directly under the State Council,
In order to implement the scientific outlook on development in an all round way, accelerate the development of socialist harmonious society and achieve the goal of building a well-off society across China, we must put environmental protection work in more important strategic position. The State Council has made the following decisions:
I. Fully Understanding the Importance of Environmental Protection Work
1. Positive Progress in Environmental Protection
The Central Committee of Communist Party of China and the State Council attach great importance to environmental protection and take a series of key policies and measures. Each region and department has continued their building up of environmental protection work. With rapid economic growth and evident rise of living standard, the overall environmental quality of China has basically remained stable with improvement in some cities and regions. The total discharge of most key pollutants has been under control with the decline of pollution emission intensity of industrial outputs. In addition, environmental control of key river basins and regions has been under continuously promotion and ecological conservation and control enhanced. Also, national regulatory system for nuclear and radiation has enjoyed further improvement. Public environmental awareness and participation have obtained evident improvement. Moreover, China has seriously implemented international convention and won good image in international community.
2. Environmental Situation Still Grave
Though we have made positive achievements, the grave situation for China's environment has not yet been changed. The total discharge amount of major pollutants outstrips the environmental bearing capacity. There is widespread water pollution in nearly all river sections flowing through cities. Air pollution is serious in many cites and pollution from acid rain is on the rise. The damages of POPs has emerged, the area of soil pollution are expanding, the pollution of offshore areas are worsening, and the environmental safety concerning nuclear and radiation have had some hidden troubles. Ecological environment is under serious damage with massive water and soil erosion, stone desertification and grassland degradation as well as loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecological system. The environmental problems emerged in developed countries over 100 years of industrialization process in different development phases have made concentrated appearance in China in the last 20-odd years showing structural, complex and compressed characteristics. Environmental pollution and ecological damage have caused huge economic losses, threatened public health, social stability and environmental safety. The population of China will continuously increase with quadrupling of GDP in the next 15 years. The consumption of resources and energy will be on continuous rise, placing more pressure over environmental protection.
3. Inconsistency between Environmental Regulations, Institutions and Work with the Requirements
At present, there is quite pre-eminent phenomenon that some local authorities focus on GDP growth rather than environmental protection. The legal system of environmental system is not sound and environmental legislation does not adapt to the requirements. It is not uncommon that environmental laws are not fully observed or strictly enforced. Environmental protection mechanism is not well established with such phenomena as insufficient input, many accumulated historical problems, slow progress in pollution control and relatively low marketization. Environmental protection management system has not been streamlined and the efficiency requires further increase. In addition, the capacity in supervision and management is weak and the State has insufficient capacity in such areas as environmental monitoring, information, science and technology, publicity, education and comprehensive assessment. Environmental awareness of some leaders and public participation require further improvement.
4. Putting Environmental Protection Work at More Important Strategic Position
Enhancing environmental protection is an important measure for the implementation of the outlook on scientific development, innate requirements for building a well-off society in an all round way, the practical action for administration for the people and improving administrative capacity and strong guarantee for building a harmonious socialist society. The strengthening of environmental protection is beneficial to such activities as economic restructuring; transformation of growth mode and better and faster growth; the development of environmental industry and its relevant industries; fostering of new growth engine and increase of employment; the rise of environmental awareness and moral level of the whole society to promote the development of socialist cultural and ideological progress; guarantee of public health, raising living standard and longevity; the long-term interests of the Chinese Nation and pass on a good environment for our future generations. Therefore, we must apply the outlook on scientific development to guide and direct environmental protection work and determine to address environmental problems.
II. The Outlook on Scientific Development Guides Environmental Protection Work
5. Guidelines
Guided by the important thoughts of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the "Three Representations", we will put in place the spirit of the 5th Plenary Session of the 16th CCCPC and address environmental problems during the development in accordance with the requirements for implementing the outlook on scientific development, building a harmonious socialist society with adherence to the basic State policy on environmental protection. We will actively promote economic restructuring and the fundamental change of economic growth mode. We will change the past practice of "pollution followed by treatment and destruction coupled with treatment". Depending on scientific and technological progress, we will take such measures as developing circular economy, advocating ecological civilization, enhancing the rule of law in environmental field, improving supervision and management mechanism, establishing a long-term mechanism, building a resource-saving and environment-friendly society. We will strive for the objective that people have access to clean water, fresh air and safe food and live and work in a good environment.
6. Basic Principles
-Aiming at balanced development, mutual benefits and win-win situation. We should properly deal with the relationship between environmental protection and economic growth and social progress, preserve the environment in the course of development and promote development through environmental protection, and insist on economized, safe and clean development so as to achieve the sustained and scientific development.
-Reinforcing the rule of law and carrying forward the comprehensive treatment. We should adhere to the principle of administration by law, constantly improve environmental laws and regulations and exercise environmental laws rigorously. We should persist in conducting integrated policy-making and scientific planning on environmental protection and development and highlighting the principle of precaution first, control pollution and ecological damages at the sources, and address environmental issues with a combination of legal, economic, technical and, administrative instruments if necessary.
-Avoiding new debts and paying off more old debts. We should stringently control the total amount of pollutant discharge. All new projects, rebuilt and expanded construction projects should be in compliance with environmental requirements, pursuing increased productivity without causing more pollution and trying the best to reduce pollution despite the increase of outputs. We should proactively address environmental issues left by history.
-Relying on science and technology and innovating relevant mechanisms. We should energetically develop environmental science and technology, and tackle environmental issues through technical innovations. We should establish an investment mechanism involving a diversity of major investors, including government, enterprises and social sectors as well as a mechanism for commercialized operation of some pollution treatment facilities. We should improve environmental protection systems and perfect a unified, coordinated and effective environmental regulation system.
-Giving assorted guidance and highlighting the priority. In accordance with local conditions, we should develop plans matched to different areas, and make overall planning for both urban and rural development. We will, on a stage-based manner, resolve environmental issues that constrain economic growth and arouse strong responses from the public, and improve the environmental quality in major watersheds, regions, sea areas and cities.
7. Environmental Objectives
By the year 2010, major areas and cities will have their environmental quality be improved, and the deteriorating trends of ecological environment will be essentially kept under control. Total discharge amounts of major pollutants will be controlled effectively; the pollutant discharge intensity of key industries will drop sharply; ambient air quality in major cities, water quality of centralized drinking water sources in urban areas, water quality of rural areas, surface water quality across the country and water quality of offshore sea areas will turn out to be better; the degradation trends of grassland will be urged to some extent; the area being treated for water erosion and ecological restoration will be somewhat increased; the environment in mining areas will witness remarkable improvement; overexploitation and pollution of underground water will slow down; the eco-function of major eco-function protection areas and nature reserves will be basically stable; village and township environmental quality will experience some improvement and nuclear and radioactive environmental safety will be guaranteed.
......