2015年CRI China Steps up Efforts in Curbing Air Pollution Caused by Local Enterprises

 

Over the past few years, the central government has been focusing its air pollution fight on major polluters, with numerous steel factories and heavy-polluting power generators¹ either shut down or moved away from major centers, such as Beijing.

However, with the first-ever smog 'red-alerts' issued in Beijing and other parts of the capital region this month, the Ministry² of Environmental Protection has begun paying more attention to small-scale pollution emitters.

But Fu Chengyu, vice-Chair of the International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange, says a one-off crackdown on small-scale polluters won't be enough.

"The major problem doesn't lie with the companies themselves, with the loose regulations imposed by local governments. If we had taken the problem seriously, the air pollution today wouldn't have been nearly as bad as it is now. I, personally, think now is a great opportunity to resolve the environmental problems that are scourging³ China. At the same time, this will contribute to helping⁴ the fight against pollution in a global context."

China is the world's largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases, pumping out around 30-percent of all the world's CO2 emissions⁶.

To counter this, the Chinese government has set a goal of having this country's emissions peak by 2030.

This will require emission⁵ cuts of at least 40-percent for every unit of GDP over the next 5-years.

Zhang Yanke is the vice-General Manager of Huaneng Group, one of China's leading state-run electricity producers.

He says the government's goals will require foresight⁷.

"In terms of power generation, more needs to be done to develop clean energy and increase the proportion of clean energy use. If the government wants to make sure the carbon emissions peak by 2030, it has to increase its push toward more low-carbon energy production."

Steps are being taken in the hear-and-now to cope with polluters.

Among them more precise monitoring of pollution trends to know where they're coming from, as well as the creation of unified⁸ pollution standards.

Zeng Lixin with the International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange says the move will make things more equitable⁹.

"By setting a unified standard for pollutant¹⁰ discharge for all companies, as well as more 3rd party monitoring, will eliminate any bias¹¹, as every company would be working under the same rules. Whoever pollutes the environment has to pay themselves."

Despite the short-term strategies, officials with the Ministry of Environmental Protection are warning it may take at least 10 to 15-years to clean up China's air, given balance required between clean air and economic growth.

For CRI, this is XYee.

1 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 scourging   

鞭打( scourge的现在分词 )； 惩罚，压迫

参考例句：

• I should not deserve such a scourging to the bone as this. 我也不应该受这样痛澈骨髓的鞭打呀。
• The shroud also contains traces of blood and marks consistent with scourging and crucifixion. 这张裹尸布上有着鲜血的痕迹以及带有苦难与拷问的标记。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 foresight   

n.先见之明，深谋远虑

参考例句：

• The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
• It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。

8 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

9 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

10 pollutant   

n.污染物质，散布污染物质者

参考例句：

• Coal itself is a heavy pollutant.煤本身就是一种严重的污染物。
• Carbon dioxide may not be a typical air pollutant.二氧化碳可能不是一种典型的污染物。

11 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。