China's environment improves steadily
China saw its environment steadily improve in 2023, with all the annual targets for environmental indicators achieved, according to an official report.
This progress also met the deadlines set by the country's 14th Five-Year Plan which was formulated in 2021, says the State Council report on environmental conditions and completion of environmental protection targets for the year 2023, which was submitted to the top legislature for review on Tuesday.
The report points out that in 2023, China's air quality maintained a long-term positive trend, with improvements in key areas. The average concentration of PM2.5 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas had decreased by 2.3 percent compared to the previous year.
The overall quality of seawater in China's jurisdictional waters remained stable with positive trends last year. National soil environment risks were under basic control, and the worsening trend of soil pollution had been initially curbed, the report states.
The report indicates that in 2023, China's surface water environment quality continued to improve, with significant improvements in key river basins. For the first time, the water quality in the Yellow River basin had improved from good to excellent.
The report also highlights some challenges China faces in terms of its ecological environment, including the persistent characteristics of high energy consumption and high carbon emissions in the industrial structure, as well as a coal-centric energy structure.
The report has set a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by about 3.9 percent in 2024, and emphasizes the need to strengthen environmental legislation and law enforcement to ensure the achievement of green goals.
Related articles
Russia vows retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on its regions
Photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in Moscow. [Photo/Xinh2024-05-19US repatriates 11 citizens from notorious camps for relatives of Islamic State militants in Syria
BEIRUT (AP) — The United States has repatriated 11 of its citizens from sprawling camps in northeast2024-05-19Michelle Yeoh shines in VERY quirky tin foil
Michelle Yeoh electrified the 2024 Met Gala red carpet on Monday as she arrived in a tin foil-inspir2024-05-19Liberal icon Bernie Sanders is running for Senate reelection, squelching retirement rumors
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced Monday he will run for reelection this year, squelching spe2024-05-19Dodgers demote struggling OF James Outman to the minors as part multiple roster moves
LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Outman, who finished third in last year’s NL Rookie of the Year voting, was2024-05-19St. Louis Blues remove interim tag and name Drew Bannister full
Drew Bannister is returning as coach of the St. Louis Blues after getting the interim tag removed fr2024-05-19
atest comment