In response to the institutional reform plan submitted by the State Council to the 11th National People's Congress for review, China is set to establish the Ministry of Environmental Protection, replacing the former State Environmental Protection Administration. While the shift from "bureau" to "ministry" may seem like a minor linguistic change, it carries significant implications. As a constituent department of the State Council, the new ministry will have a more prominent role in national decision-making, signaling a stronger integration of environmental concerns into broader policy frameworks.
Deputies highlighted that environmental issues have become a critical factor affecting public health, social stability, economic growth, and the country’s international image. These problems have drawn global attention and are central to building a harmonious socialist society. In early 2006, the State Council issued a decision emphasizing the need to strengthen environmental protection under the scientific development concept. Despite some progress, the environmental situation remains severe. Major pollutants continue to exceed the environment’s capacity to absorb them. Urban rivers are heavily polluted, and many cities suffer from serious air and acid rain pollution. The threat from persistent organic pollutants is growing, soil contamination is expanding, and coastal waters are becoming increasingly polluted. Additionally, there are growing risks related to nuclear and radiation safety. China has experienced similar environmental challenges over the past two decades that developed countries faced during their industrialization over the last century, but in a compressed timeframe, with characteristics of structural, compound, and overlapping pollution.
Since 2006, the national investment in environmental protection has exceeded 550 billion yuan, accounting for 1.24% of GDP. Various policies have been introduced to promote pollution reduction, including pricing, fiscal, tax, financial, and securities measures. The government has also strengthened the assessment of emission reduction targets. Through collective efforts, total emissions of sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand decreased by 4.66% and 3.14%, respectively, marking the first decline in 2007.
Despite these achievements, vigilance must not be relaxed. As representatives pointed out, China’s population will continue to grow over the next 15 years, and its economic output is expected to quadruple, leading to increased resource and energy consumption and greater environmental pressure. This is why the upgrade of the State Environmental Protection Administration to the Ministry of Environmental Protection was necessary—to enhance coordination of environmental policies, implement national emission reduction goals, and strengthen environmental responsibility.
The petroleum and chemical industry, as one of the largest consumers of energy and major polluters, faces particularly challenging environmental tasks. It emits 3.5 billion tons of industrial wastewater, 1.2 trillion cubic meters of exhaust gas, and generates 68 million tons of solid waste annually—ranking first, fourth, and fifth in the country’s “three wastes†emissions. Emissions of key pollutants such as COD, cyanide, ammonia nitrogen, petroleum, sulfur dioxide, and dust are among the highest in the industrial sector. Pollution from dyes, pesticides, and fine chemicals remains particularly difficult to manage with current technologies.
With the establishment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China is shifting from post-event punishment to pre-event assessment and prevention. This transformation will accelerate the development of green chemistry in the oil and chemical industry, promote clean production, and advance the circular economy. Efforts to save energy and reduce emissions will intensify. It is expected that in the near future, China will see a greener, clearer, and bluer landscape.
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