A battle that must be won

2014-02-27   China Daily

By Wang Lili

Measures on environmental issues have to be solid and lasting in order to realize the dream of a beautiful homeland

The severe smog that plagues a broad swathe of China is a warning sign of the country`s deteriorating environment. The various environmental problems that have accumulated in the process of the country`s accelerating industrialization and urbanization and the increasing constraint of resources mean the Chinese dream of building a beautiful homeland will be remote if these problems are not addressed.

China is not the first country to suffer an environmental crisis. Britain, the United States, Japan and other developed countries have also been challenged by pollution and environmental degradation during their development.

In Britain, people still call London "The Big Smoke", a nickname bestowed on it because of the thick smog that used to envelope it. The air pollution peaked in 1952, when the so-called Great Smog caused 12,000 deaths in December, making it one of the world`s most serious environmental incidents in the 20th century. British people paid more attention to the environment after this, and the country`s first bill on air pollution prevention and treatment was introduced in 1956. After over half a century of effort, London has achieved remarkable progresses in improving its air quality.

There are many similarities between the UK in the 1950s and China today, including the per capita gross domestic product and the energy structure. But the environmental crisis facing China is more complicated. With its continuous and rapid economic development over the past decades, China has witnessed faster and larger-scale industrialization and urbanization than other countries, but it has also paid a heavier price in terms of its environment and resources.

The government has attached high importance to tackling the country`s environmental problems and it is strengthening and introducing policies, laws and regulations to ensure better protection and treatment. However, dealing with the environmental crisis is a systematic project that is the responsibility of everyone in society, not just the government.

China should adopt an environmental model that not only demands the government play a leading role, but also values the role of ordinary individuals and the media`s role of publicity and monitoring, and as a bridge between the government, enterprises, the public and academia. Experts should play a key role in leading public opinion and come up with some constructive proposals and programs.

The government should first organize a study of the current environmental situation by experts and conduct in-depth discussions on the extent of the crisis, its underlying causes, and concrete solutions for tackling the problems. Then based on these solutions, it should work out an overall program for addressing the environmental crisis that tackles specific problems in a scientific way. In the process, the government should release information to the public in a timely manner, so that people can see its environmental treatment efforts and the achieved results.

To more effectively mitigate the pressures on the environment, the government should push for adjustments in the country`s industrial structure and fundamentally change the traditional economy-prioritized development model to promote environmental protection in the process of national economic development. This requires legislation on environmental protection be strengthened and the enforcement of relevant laws and regulations be tightened. The experiences of developed countries show that an effective legal framework for environmental protection is essential for success.

Aside from the government`s role, the media should further play its role in informing the public and monitoring public opinion and try to encourage an exchange of public opinions on environmental issues throughout the whole society. To achieve comprehensive and lasting effects in its attempts to curb environmental pollution and the wasting of resources, people`s awareness of their responsibilities as individuals must be raised.

The media should also play its supervisory role to the full and the timely dissemination of information on environmental problems will promote transparency. This will put pressure on the polluters and those abusing their power and prompt governments at various levels to increase their environmental treatment efforts and improve efficiency.

On the one hand, China is now taking every measure available to resolve its environmental problems. But on the other hand, it also lies in the crucial stage of a large-scale urbanization construction, which will unavoidably put its fragile environment to the test. The country should face up to the enormous challenge its economic and social development poses to the environment and pursue a more sustainable development path.

The author is deputy dean of the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2014-02/27/content_17308175_2.htm