context: National Environmental Conference has been held seven times over the past 38 years and mostly attended by premiers and vice-premiers. The fact that President Xi addressed the conference this year indicates that unprecedented state attention given to environmental protection will not abate. High-profile environmental policies and escalating enforcement, including the new action plan on air pollution, are expected over the next few months.
National Environmental Conference convened 18-19 May, setting the tone for a new environmental agenda. President Xi Jinping 习近平 delivered the keynote speech, reiterating the goal to ensure a 'fundamental improvement' in the environment by 2035, which will be achieved by
- pushing for a 'green development' model that focuses on
- readjusting energy and economic structures
- integrating environmental concerns into spatial and industrial planning
- fostering and expanding environmental protection, clean production and clean energy industries
- advancing resource conservation and recycling
- promoting green and low-carbon lifestyles
- prioritising environmental issues affecting people's well-being, including
- significantly improving air quality and eliminating heavily polluting days
- ensuring drinking water safety
- cleaning up 'black foul-smelling' waters in cities
- reducing key soil contaminants and controlling soil contamination risks
- improving rural living environment
- fending off environmental risks
- improving environmental governance via
- developing resource and environmental pricing mechanisms
- supporting public-private partnership projects
- putting forward strategies to mitigate climate change
- setting up an official evaluation system that factors in environmental performance and holds officials accountable for environmental damages