China won’t slacken efforts on ecological, environmental protection

By Bi Mengying, People’s Daily

More than one million migratory birds have traveled to Beijing this spring, according to data collected by 88 monitoring stations in the capital city, including swans, oriental storks, Baer’s pochards, reed parrotbills and black storks. In particular, a new high of over 1,000 swans were recorded.

“Birds are indicators of the biodiversity, the ecosystem integrity and ecosystem health in a region,” said Gao Wu, a bird expert and associate professor at the Capital Normal University in Beijing, adding that they will not stop in places that are not suitable and safe during migration.

The increasing bird species in Beijing well explains the continuous improvement in Beijing’s ecological environment. According to data released by Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau, the forest coverage in the city increased by 18,666 hectares last year, and the urban green space by 803 hectares.

Beijing is an epitome of China’s progress in ecological conservation. The country has made key progress in its critical battle against pollution, with further reductions in the discharge of major pollutants and overall improvements in the environment. Seven of nine binding targets in environmental protection set in the 13th Five-Year Plan were met ahead of schedule and were surpassed.

By the end of last year, 74.9 percent of the country’s 1,940 surface water inspection sections were graded in categories I-III, meaning good water quality, an increase of 3.9 percentage points year on year.

“China will not relax its ecological and environmental protection despite new challenges brought by the COVID-19,” said Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu on May 25 on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature.

In the face of difficulties and challenges, China will not lower its standard on ecological and environmental protection, or loosen environmental supervision and environmental standards for market access, Huang said.

Since May, the ministry has dispatched teams to cities, counties, and enterprises to help local governments identify and resolve prominent ecological and environmental problems and provide technical and policy support, the minister introduced.

Going forward, on the one hand, China would reduce emissions of pollutants at the source, vigorously promote ecological protection and restoration, and boost systematic governance of mountains, forests, farmland, rivers, and lakes.

The minister added that the country would also strengthen supervision over ecological conservation and expand ecological spaces and capacity to safeguard national ecological security.

Meanwhile, China should advance industrial restructuring and transformation in a low-carbon manner, promote green and low-carbon development models and lifestyles, and provide the public with more eco-friendly products, he said.

On the other hand, the country should modernize its environmental governance system, and establish and perfect a sound and comprehensive environmental management system, the minister noted.