Clearing the air: Chinese leaders to consider pollution-cutting targets that actually might make a difference
Mainland met all emission-cutting goals in past 10 years, but air and water quality deteriorated
Beijing is likely to add new environmental protection targets, in addition to its traditional emissions-reduction goals, as top policymakers ponder five-year plans for 2016-2020, experts said ahead of a key Communist Party meeting.
The country has never failed to meet its emissions-reduction targets for air and water pollution included in its past two five-year plans - but still the state of its air and inland waterways has steadily deteriorated.
The new approach has grown out of mounting public anger over worsening smog, water and soil pollution, as well as widening distrust of the environmental authorities.
Even deputy environmental minister Pan Yue admitted, in a candid interview with Xinhua last month, that authorities needed a better approach to environmental governance and to respond more quickly to public concerns.
"Improvements in environmental quality should be the only gauge for our environmental protection efforts," Pan said.
A key meeting will be held by the party from October 26 to 29 to discuss the five-year plan on steering economic and social development.
