{"id":1682,"date":"2016-03-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-11T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/master.k8s.p4.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/aboutus\/1682\/greenpeace-response-to-the-chinese-governments-mep-press-conference\/"},"modified":"2019-11-23T00:06:23","modified_gmt":"2019-11-23T08:06:23","slug":"greenpeace-response-to-the-chinese-governments-mep-press-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/press\/1682\/greenpeace-response-to-the-chinese-governments-mep-press-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenpeace response to the Chinese government\u2019s MEP press conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beijing, 11 March, 2016 \u2013 In today\u2019s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) press conference, Minister Chen Jining expressed an encouraging outlook and laid out a comprehensive range of targets for the MEP. Greenpeace welcomes this vision, but urges the government to strengthen supervision of policy and to further promote public participation as a key part of China\u2019s efforts to protect the environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u201cToday\u2019s press conference showed again that the MEP is serious about tackling both the pressing pollution problems and also some of the deeper causes of China\u2019s environmental problems. Loopholes and enforcement problems are still rife, however, and Greenpeace urges stronger supervision, greater transparency and an increased role for the public in order to strengthen China\u2019s efforts to protect the environment,\u201d said Greenpeace East Asia\u2019s deputy program director, Li Yan.<\/p>\n\n

The government\u2019s emphasis on holding local officials accountable for environmental protection and on intervention and prevention in the form of Environmental Impact Assessments and \u201cred lines\u201d is promising. Greenpeace hopes to see tighter measures taking effect soon. A more proactive MEP could also have a significant impact.<\/p>\n\n

Greenpeace notes the emphasis Minister Chen placed on environmental law and public interest litigation, which Greenpeace has long encouraged<\/a> as a means to ensure environmental protection. <\/p>\n\n

As the Chinese economy enters its \u2018New Normal\u2019 of slower economic growth, Minister Chen\u2019s emphasis on environmental protection as inseparable from good quality economic growth is another positive sign from the press conference.<\/p>\n\n

Greenpeace urges the government to ensure strict supervision of environmental policy and encourages the greater expansion of transparency and public participation in the protection of China\u2019s environment.<\/p>\n\n

Greenpeace notes the below important areas raised in the press conference:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Air Pollution
Minister Chen noted improvements in air quality in 74 key cities since 2014, a positive trend also shown in Greenpeace\u2019s independent analysis<\/a> of air quality across China. However, air pollution across China is still a serious issue. Greenpeace continues to urge the government to introduce a national coal consumption cap in order to quicken the rate of improvement.<\/p>\n\n

Coal
\u2018Ultra-low emission\u2019 technology was noted as a way to clean up the energy sector. Greenpeace points out, however, that this technology cannot guarantee continuous and stable \u2018ultra-low emissions\u2019. Moreover, an investigation<\/a> by Greenpeace has shown that numerous loopholes exist in \u2018ultra low emission\u2019 supervision. Regardless, \u2018ultra low emission\u2019 technology is not an effective means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and Greenpeace calls on the government to focus on renewable energy as the energy source of the future.<\/p>\n\n

Water
The safety of drinking water was extensively discussed by Minister Chen. Water is the next major environmental challenge for China to tackle. Greenpeace will continue to monitor the implementation of China\u2019s Clean Water Action Plan and calls for deeper public participation in the plan\u2019s implementation. <\/p>\n\n

Ecological Red Lines and Biodiversity
Minister Chen emphasised the urgency of securing ecological redlines and protecting biodiversity, both of which have been frequently undermined by economic activity in the past. While Minister Chen pledges to strengthen supervision of protected areas such as nature reserves, a more precautionary approach with an emphasis on the planning process is desired. Such a move would require top-down institutional change.<\/p>\n\n

Agricultural and Rural Pollution
The prevention of agricultural pollution in rural areas was stated as one of the MEP\u2019s most important objectives for the 13th FYP period. Greenpeace investigations<\/a> have shown that agricultural, rather than industrial, pollution is the major challenge to the environment in these areas. In particular, Greenpeace calls on the government to pay closer attention to the link between the agricultural chemical inputs and freshwater lake pollution.<\/p>\n

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Media contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tom Baxter
International Communications Officer, Greenpeace East Asia
email:\u00a0tom.baxter@greenpeace.org<\/a>