New round of environmental inspection to focus on regions along Yangtze

Inspectors with the country's high-profile central environmental inspection embarked on a monthlong visit to seven provincial regions along the Yangtze River from Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The focus of the inspection this time will prioritize looking into the performance of the governments in these regions, including Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan provinces, in promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation, the ministry said in a release.

Working under ministerial-level officials, teams of the central environmental inspection will report to a central group headed by a vice-premier. The office of the inspection is based in the ministry.

The release listed a slate of focuses in the inspection work.

One of them is low-carbon transition. Inspectors will check how local authorities have been making efforts to help with the country's targets of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and realizing carbon neutrality before 2060.

They will see whether local authorities have resolutely curbed the irrational expansion of projects with high energy consumption and emissions.

Another major concern for inspectors is protected areas. They will target violations such as illegal encroachment on nature reserves and development and construction within red lines set for ecological conservation.

All the inspection teams will make public their phone numbers and mailing addresses so that public reports about environmental violations can be heard, the ministry said.