By Sun Xiaohua (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-28 10:07

The nation's environmental clean-up effort will get a funding boost for the current five-year period to help meet a target of reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 10 percent.

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The government will invest 1.35 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in environmental protection in the period, according to the environmental protection plan for 2006-10 issued by the State Council on Monday.

"Most of the investment will go to treating water pollution," said Zou Shoumin, director of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, who was involved in drafting the plan.

Zou said the government would spend 640 billion yuan on treating water pollution, 600 billion yuan (US$81.22 billion) on air pollution, 210 billion yuan on solid waste, 15 billion yuan securing nuclear and radioactive materials, 30 billion yuan on farming pollution and 35 billion yuan to develop environmental watchdogs.

Ten key environment projects will receive 38 percent of the total investment, or 583 billion yuan, he said.

Those projects are: developing an environmental monitoring system; hazardous materials and medical waste treatment; detoxification treatment of chromium residue; urban sewage treatment; key river basin pollution control and treatment; urban solid waste treatment; sulfur removal in thermal power plants and the iron and steel industry; developing key ecological zones and natural reserves; nuclear and radioactive material security; and environmental quality improvement in rural areas.

Zou said the government would fund the development of environmental monitoring and infrastructure. But he said companies should adhere to the principle of "polluters pay" in terms of industrial pollution treatment.

Zhou Shengxian, minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), said: "Strengthening the budget for environmental protection is essential if we're to make a breakthrough in combating pollution."

In 2005, China spent 238.8 billion yuan on environmental protection, accounting for 1.31 percent of that year's GDP, according to a government white paper.

The country also issued a five-year environment plan for 2001-05, but the targets were not met.

SEPA figures show that SO2 emissions in 2005 increased by 27.8 percent over 2000 instead of dropping, while the COD fell 2.1 percent from 2000 rather than the 10 percent target.

"The country failed to meet the target of reducing sulfur dioxide emissions, mainly because of the unexpected increase in energy demand between 2000 and 2005," Zou said.

Energy consumption in 2005 increased by 55.2 percent from 2000, but new thermal plants did not adopt facilities to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and upgrade projects were not successful, he said.