MEP spokesman Tao Detian said on July 10th 2013 that, an Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan has been adopted by an executive meeting of the State Council on June 14th, and the Plan is under revision and to be released within half a month. Regarded as the most ambitious air pollution initiative, the Plan is expected to involve an input of 1.7 trillion yuan.
Not long ago, 10 measures have been disclosed by the State Council to prevent and control air pollution. The comprehensive package of measures has been presented in a strongly-worded statement, and was called the National 10 Measures.
Some insiders confirmed that the completed version of the Plan extended the National 10 Measures to include important goals and tough measures, and will serve as a detailed road map for air pollution prevention and control in the next five years and will clarify the goals for the incumbent government.
Some experts participated in the drafting of the Plan disclosed that, although coal consumption limitations have not been included in the National 10 Measures, but according to the full version of the Plan, coal consumption will be dramatically reduced in China, especially in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei areas.
A strong point of the Plan is urging obvious air quality improvement within five years, which is, as some experts said, a manifestation of the central government' s steely determination. But some concern has also been raised for the toughness of the goals.
The Plan has drawn some initial responses from local governments, although it has not been officially released. For example, the Beijing Municipal Action Plan for Clean Air 2013-2017 has been approved by a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee. With a focus on the prevention and control of PM2.5 pollution, the Municipal Action Plan urges a comprehensive promotion of multiple-pollutant emission reduction and control measures, so as to improve air quality substantially.
The Shijiazhuang Municipal Action Plan for the Campaign of Air Pollution Control and Treatment (2013-2017) has been released by Shijiazhuang Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau on June 19th. A five-year goal is also outlined in the Shijiazhuang version of the action plan, that the air quality in Shijiazhuang should be obviously improved with five years' effort.