Mr. Chairman, fellow members,
Please allow me to present to you a brief report on the major progress made by China in the field of environment and development, and on the work of the Expert Working Groups and of the Secretariat during the past year when the Council was not in session.
A. Major progress made by China in the field of environment and development.
Chinas economic structural reform has made significant progress ever since the Hangzhou Meeting. A number of important reform programmes are put into practice and are doing fine. A socialist market economy has taken shape. In 1993, the country's GDP amounted to over RMB 3000 billion, 13.4% higher than that of 1992. While the national economy maintains its continuous and rapid development moment um, the protection for environment has moved forward with some achievements.
1.Sustainable development strategies have been determined.
The Chinese Government organized related ministries and agencies to work out and approved Chinas Agenda 21, i.e. White Paper of Chinas Population, Environment and Development in the 21st Century. The State Planning Commission (SPC), State Science and Technology Commission (SSTC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN DP jointly held a High-Level International Round-table Conference on China's Agenda 21. They have identified First Priority Projects of China's Agenda 21, which cover 9 areas and include 62 operational projects. We will have specific presentations on China's Agenda 21 at this meeting.
2. Relevant international conventions are being actively implemented.
In order to implement Biodiversity Convention, the Chinese Government organized ministries concerned and experts, both Chinese and international, to draft China's Action Plan for Biodiversity Protection and work out plans for its implementation. To implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the State Meteorological Administration, National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) and S STC have launched a Research on Measures to Deal with Climate Change, carried out scientific assessment for climate change and its effect, put forward prospect estimation and measures to be taken, and analyzed related economic factors. To implement Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances, the Government has app roved China's Country Programme for Gradual Elimination of Ozone Depleting Substances, and enthusiastically applied for, reported on and put into practice ODS reduction projects. Meanwhile, China has made regulations on the use and new construction of CFC production, with a view to strictly controlling and gradually lowering the consumption of such substances.
Further, the Chinese Government has done a great deal in the implementation of Convention of International Trade of Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora, Basel Convention of Control of Transboundary Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal and London Guidelines of Information Exchange of Chemicals in International Trade. We will have representatives of the ministries concerned to talk about how the Chinese Government is implementing the international conventions.
3.Decision has been made to introduce clean production, and carry out the guideline for whole-process-control for industrial pollution prevention and control.
NEPA and the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) held the 2nd National Conference on Industrial Pollution Prevention and Control, at which new ideas for industrial pollution prevention and control in the 1990s were put forward. The y are: in terms of the basic strategy, effort will be shifted to whole-process-control from the original end-of-pipe treatment; in terms of discharge control, control on density and total volume will be stressed instead of control on density alone; in terms of pollution management, scattered management of pollution sources will be changed to a combination of centralized control and scattered management. Also at the conference, some further major measures to intensify the pollution prevention and control were worked out and responsibilities of governments, enterprises and environmental agencies were clarified.
4.Chinas Action Plan for Environmental Protection has been formulated.
As was required by IDA (International Development Association, part of the World Bank) that the government of every member state must present their action plan for environmental protection in 1993, NEPA and the SPC worked together and draft ed the plan, in which general objectives and specific targets for industrial, urban and ecological environmental protection and the necessary policies and measures to achieve them are defined, and a number of key areas and priority projects are identified in accordance with the present state of environment in China and its major environmental challenges.
5.Chinas environmental protection programmme has been worked out.
Based on the analysis of the severe environmental situation in present-day China, the guiding ideas and targets for environmental protection in the next five years and tasks in nine different aspects are put forward:
Participate actively in overall decision-making on environment and development; follow sustainable development; strengthen industrial pollution prevention and control, intensify comprehensive management and control of urban environment and ecological environment, and improve environmental management system; speed up environmental legislation and make environmental law enforcement more dynamic; use economic means and open up more channels for financial resources for environmental protection; help bring about more progress in environmental science and technology and promote the development of environmental protection industries; further carry out publicity and education on environmental protection and enhance environmental awareness of the people; reinforce the basic work and raise the level of environmental management; improve institutional set-up and capability build- up; and take an active part in global environmental affairs and expand international cooperation on environmental protection.
B. Follow-up of the recommendations put forward at Hangzhou Meeting.
Last year at the Hangzhou Meeting, the Chinese and international members of the Council put forward seven constructive recommendations, which has won very high appreciation of President Jiang Zemin. The Chinese Government has shown concerned for the areas covered by the recommendations. Following serious study by the Chinese Government and its related departments, these recommendations have already been implemented or are being put into practice.
1.Improve energy efficiency
——Major achievements have been obtained in introducing clean combustion technology and increasing energy utility rate, by way of strengthened international cooperation. A series of engineering projects have started or been planned, using finance from international financial organizations and other bilateral or multi-lateral financial sources, e.g., the development of desulphurising boiler and selection of clean coal in Chingqing, the heating power supply from Shijingshan to the city of Beijing, the renovation of kilns and boilers with gasification in Tangshan, etc.
——Further progress has been made in central heating and gasification. In 1993, throughout the country 400.76 million square meters were covered by central heating. The percentage of central heating in urban areas is 8.06%, registering a 0.95% rise over the previous year. About 100 million urban residents, 56.9% of the total, are now using gas for cooking, representing a 4.5% increase over 1992.
——A Power Industry Development Plan has been worked out for the year 2000, focusing on the development of big units and the renovation of aged plants and unit s, and aiming at a reduction of coal consumption from 427 grams/kWh in 1990 to 3 65 grams/kWh.
——Decision has been made to develop more nuclear power along the South-East coastal areas after the Qinshan and Daya Bay nuclear power stations were put into operation. China is attaching great importance to the development of clean technology, which is demonstrated by the on-going construction of the early phase of t he Three Gorges Project. Besides, NEPA and SETC are now helped by GEF in a big c lean energy project, including solar energy, thermal energy, wind energy and biomass.
——The Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, which is being revised right now, newly includes provisions o n coal-caused pollution, CO2discharge, coal wash, desulphurization, development of briquettes, centralized heat supply, co-generation and others good for the improvement of energy efficiency.
2.Protect biodiversity
——Since Chinas Action Plan for the Protection of Biodiversity was issued, we have devoted our effort to the drafting of Chinas Country Programme for the Protection of Biondiversity.
——The State Council has recently approved the Management Regulation of Nature Reserves. NEPA has completed planning for the development of all nature reserves in the country. As a result, the area of nature will go up from 6.7% of the tot al territory at present to 10% in 2000.
——The State Council has issued a Circular on the Banning of Trade of Rhino Horns and Tiger Bones. The rhino horns case in Wuchuan, Guangdong Province was deal t with in public and the illegally traded tiger bones and rhino horns in Heilongjiang and Guangdong provinces were burned also in public. In the Province of Qinghai, one county magistrate and two soldiers of the armed forces even died in effort to protect wildlife.
3.Protect agriculture environment
——We have intensified protection of agricultural environment through legislation. The Agriculture Law issued this year has specific articles on ecological protection. The State Council has just approved Regulation of Basic Protection of Farmland, further defining relevant rules on prevention and control of farmland pollution and destruction.
——Governments at different levels and institutions concerned have set up a large number of eco-townships and villages. With this development, the related ministries and commissions have combined their effort in establishing 50 eco-counties, enlarging the total area of eco-culture.
——Ministries and agencies concerned require registration and carry out evaluation of imported and domestically produced fertilizer, in order to come up to the standards for the protection of agricultural environment and crops in the farmland.
4.On resources accounting and economic instruments
——12 provinces in the country have started pilot work to collect eco-environment compensation from resources exploration and utilization, with a view to establishing an economic mechanism for rational use of resources and recovery of eco-environment.
——Efforts have been made to regulate levy standards. In order to promote rational use of water, 5 more fen of YMB has been added to every ton of wastewater discharge. Meanwhile, we are trying to reform the levy system, go that the situation, in which discharge fee is required only for items exceeding the standards, will be changed to "pay for and discharge of wastes and be punished for exceeding behaviours".
——Work has been done to study and set up environmental taxes, with a plan to charge, first of all, CFC and Lead-petrol products.
——Preparations are being made to set up the national environmental protection fund, which will mainly be used for key demonstration projects and the handling of major environmental problems affecting different provinces and valleys.
5.On public participation and environmental protection
——NEPA, together with the All China Youth Federation, held the first academic meeting of Chinese Youth Environmental Forum and issued Chinese Youth Green Declaration.
——NEPA and the All China Womens Federation, held the first Conference of Chinese women and Environment, commending women with outstanding contributions to environmental protection and issued Chinese Womens Environmental Declaration.
——China's Centre of Higher Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences held a seminar on China's Environment and Development in the 21st Century, calling the scientific and technological circles to put environmental protection on the top of their agenda.
——A campaign entitled "A Journey into the Next Century for Environmental Protection" has been organized, through which the media exposes problems and commends good behaviours, intensifying publicity for environmental protection and education of the people.
6.On environmental legislation
——In the next five years the National Peoples Congress will promulgate over 150 laws, among which 8 are for environmental protection, e.g., Environmental Protection Law of P.R.C., Law on Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Law on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, Law on Protection of Marine Environment, Law on Prevention and Control of Noise Pollution, Law on Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution, Law on Control of Solid Wastes and Law on Management of Toxic Chemicals.
——Newly promulgated or revised laws on environmental protection will clearly define legal responsibilities, include provisions on punishment and be easy for enforcement.
——The NPC and the State Council have exerted more efforts for law enforcement, organized inspections on enforcement of environmental laws, investigated and de alt with a number of cases in which environmental laws were violated, and given effective blow to illegal behaviours.
7.Chinas role in global environmental issues.
China is a country with a big number of environmental problems and a large population. And it is a developing country. It will be a big contribution to global environment if China does well first in protecting its own environment and makes efforts to curtail the worsening of environmental and ecological situation.
China has been earnestly implementing international conventions, seriously fulfilling its international duties and actively participating in global environmental affairs. China has also further strengthened its cooperation and exchanges wit h other countries. This has not only promoted environmental protection in China but also helped solve global environmental problems.
C. The work of the Expert Working Groups
After more than one year's work, the Expert Working Groups have completed their basic work of investigation and data collection in accordance with their respective work programmes and have now entered the stage of date analysis and results reporting. Some groups which have been fast in their work have already finished a basic framework for their general subject reports, and will soon preset authoritative reports on the fruit of their research in the area concerned.
Now I would like to report to you the work of different groups.
1. The Resources Accounting and Pricing Policy Group has concentrated their efforts and made detailed studies on pricing in three aspects: coal, water and forest resources. They have utilized the theory of marginal opportunity cost in defining the price model for the three resources through investigation into realities and case studies and put forward a policy proposal to the decision-making departments.
2. The pollution Control Group has focused their attention on China's major cities and industrial areas and combined population with economic development in studying pollution control theories and methods. In recent years, they have conducted investigation and analysis in atmospheric pollution, ground water pollution and solid waste pollution of the Guangzhou City and the Guangdong Province as a whole. They have presented a study report on improving air quality, sustainable use of fresh surface water resources and prevention of pollution caused by acid rain.
3. The Data-Collection and Monitoring Group has worked on the optimum layout design of China's monitoring network, the model demonstration of air pollutants in relation to their sources, the index system for sustainable development and research of the support system for the integration of urban environment and energy development. It is estimated that several interim reports will be submitted by the end of this year or mid-next year. The general report of some topics is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
4. The Biodiversity protection Group has devoted its effort to the investigation of how wildlife is made use of in the country and the status of ex situ protection of fauna and flora, and also to a better data-base. At the same time, they are doing preparation for the Conference of Wildlife Trade Control in East Asian Regions. After investigating a dozen of nature reserves, the group has submitted to the local governments reports on the situation of their nature reserve system s.
5. The Scientific Research, Technical Development and Training Group have worked mainly on clean production, clean technology and training of special personnel, and etc. With a strong belief that clean production is a prerequisite for sustainable development, they explained the feasibility of clean production in China, analyzes its cost and effect in application and carried out useful research on a number of issues concerning Chinas strategy, objectives, training of personnel and role of governments and industries in its application of clean production .
6. The Energy Group has centred on a comprehensive strategy research with a theme of "energy-development-environment" and submitted to the meeting a General Report with 10 Sub-Reports. Having investigated the countrys structure and utilization of energy, the group studied the social and economic development tendencies, and began their work with analysis and solution of the contradiction between energy demand and supply. They have put forward a set of strategic perspectives on rational development and efficient use of traditional energy and on development of new energy.
Since the Expert Groups will have time for their reports at the meeting, I will not go into details. I would like to say that these research achievements are a good demonstration of the expertss strong sense of responsibility and an embodiment of their superb wisdom. They will help improve China's decision-making in the field of environment and development.
D. On the work of the Secretariat
1. President Jiang Zemin met with the international participants of Hangzhou Meeting and made an important speech. He fully affirmed the work of the Council and the 7 recommendations we raised for the Chinese Government. He held that the Second Meeting of the Council was a success and stressed the significant contributions China would make to the global environmental protection if China improves its environment. He also expressed the willingness of the Chinese Government in further exchange of ideas and cooperation with the international community on issues concerning environmental protection. The Secretariat organized the notes taken down during the meeting and sent President Jiang's to the Chinese and international members.
2. The Secretariat completed the Executive Summary of the Second Meeting, submitted to the State Council and sent to all of our members, after it was reviewed and approved by the Bureau.
The summary includes mainly: substantive progress of the Council, plans and programmes of the Chinese Government concerning the follow-up activities of UNCED, requests that lessons should be drawn from the historical mistakes of the industrialized countries and that efforts be made to follow sustainable economic development mode, request that the Expert Working Groups focus on policy research and submit to the Third Meeting their substantive reports, decisions that the Third Meeting was to be held in Beijing in September, 1994 and that preparations would be duly made.
3. The Secretariat helped the Bureau in the membership change. Due to his new appointment, Dr. Massé could not continue with his Vice-Chairmanship and therefore recommended Mme. Labelle, President of CIDA, to replace him. Prof. Jose Goldem berg and Mr. Martin Holdgate have resigned from the Council. Ms. Pietikainan, Minister of Environment from Finland, Mr. Colombo from Italy and Mr. Ramphal from Guyana are three new members of the Council. The number of international members has reached 23. More changes have taken place in the Chinese membership, due to the change of term of the Chinese Government. 14 ministers or vice-ministers have replaced their predecessors as members of the Council. And as was necessary f or the work of the Council, Mr. Xu Zhijian, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, Mr. Shi Wanpeng, vice Minister of the State Economic and Trade Commission and Mr. Yang Jike, Vice-Chairman of the NPC Environmental & Resources Protection Committee have been added to the Council. Now the Council has 28 Chinese members.
4. The Secretary-General of the Council visited the Canadian Support Office for consultation on the preparation of the Meeting while he was on a business trip in Canada. The two sides reached agreement in principle. The Canadian Support Off ice has also sent its representative to Beijing for detailed discussion on the logistics, agenda and subjects for discussion of the Meeting. Common understanding was also reached.
5. At the Bureau meeting yesterday, report on the preparation of the Meeting was presented and the agenda of the Meeting was considered and approved. The Bureau meeting approved that the work report and report on financial situation by the Secretary-General should be presented to the Meeting; report on the implementation of international conventions by relevant ministries and work report by Expert Working Groups should also be made and considered at the Meeting; and discussion in details on substantive issues concerning environment and development in Chin a should be held. It was decided at the Bureau meeting that recommendations to t he Chinese Government would be made at the end of the Meeting.
6. Chinese leaders will meet delegates to the Meeting, hear report on the Meeting and consider the Councils recommendations to the Chinese Government. A meeting with a Chinese leader will be arranged towards the end of the Meeting (Sept 2 1-22).
Dear members of the Council, above are my work report to the Meeting and is now for your consideration. After the Second Meeting, the work of the Secretariat has been smooth and successful under the leadership of the Bureau and with the support of all members of the Council and cooperation of the Canadian Support Office. The Secretariat is ready to do its best to serve members of the Council and the Expert Working Groups in the days to come.
Finally. I wish the Meeting a great success! And I wish all members of the Council and ladies and gentlemen present at the Meeting a pleasant stay in Beijing and a very good health.
Thank you.