Beijing vows to tackle 'excessive' growth in car ownership
The Chinese government yesterday unveiled a series of commitments designed to tackle the smog crisis engulfing Beijing, including controversial plans to force 180,000 old vehicles off the streets.
Speaking at the opening of the annual session of the city’s legislature, Beijing’s Mayor Wang Ashun vowed that the authorities would undertake ambitious measures to “speed up the construction of a beautiful city with blue skies, green earth and clean water”.
He said the government would ban 180,000 old vehicles from the roads this year and take steps to control the “excessive” growth of car ownership in a city where an estimated 250,000 new cars are sold each year.
He also promised to replace old wood and coal-burning boilers used by households near the city centre with clean energy systems and deliver on a target to reduce the density of major air pollutants by two per cent this year.
“We will proactively push for the use of new energy-saving technologies and products and promote green, low carbon production and lifestyles,” he said.
The intervention has followed several weeks of record high smogs that have at times reached levels double that deemed “hazardous”, forcing officials to close factories and warn residents to stay in-doors.
The crisis has sparked unprecedented criticism from state media and fuelled government concerns at the prospect of public unrest.
According to Reuters’ reports, anonymous commentators on online forums expressed scepticism at the government’s latest plans, warning it would be extremely difficult for it to bring about significant improvements in air quality.
In related news, Bloomberg today reported that Hong Kong is planning to invest $3.9bn in new waste management infrastructure in an attempt to head off a shortage of landfill for the city.
Christine Loh, undersecretary for environment, told a conference in the city that the government was planning to expand landfills, develop two new food waste processing plants, and build a number of new incinerators or waste-to-energy plants.
She also revealed that the government wants to increase recycling rates for easily recyclable materials like glass and metals from 48 per cent to 55 per cent by the end of the decade. As such the government is likely to introduce a glass bottle levy scheme to help meet the target.
Speaking at the opening of the annual session of the city’s legislature, Beijing’s Mayor Wang Ashun vowed that the authorities would undertake ambitious measures to “speed up the construction of a beautiful city with blue skies, green earth and clean water”.
He said the government would ban 180,000 old vehicles from the roads this year and take steps to control the “excessive” growth of car ownership in a city where an estimated 250,000 new cars are sold each year.
He also promised to replace old wood and coal-burning boilers used by households near the city centre with clean energy systems and deliver on a target to reduce the density of major air pollutants by two per cent this year.
“We will proactively push for the use of new energy-saving technologies and products and promote green, low carbon production and lifestyles,” he said.
The intervention has followed several weeks of record high smogs that have at times reached levels double that deemed “hazardous”, forcing officials to close factories and warn residents to stay in-doors.
The crisis has sparked unprecedented criticism from state media and fuelled government concerns at the prospect of public unrest.
According to Reuters’ reports, anonymous commentators on online forums expressed scepticism at the government’s latest plans, warning it would be extremely difficult for it to bring about significant improvements in air quality.
In related news, Bloomberg today reported that Hong Kong is planning to invest $3.9bn in new waste management infrastructure in an attempt to head off a shortage of landfill for the city.
Christine Loh, undersecretary for environment, told a conference in the city that the government was planning to expand landfills, develop two new food waste processing plants, and build a number of new incinerators or waste-to-energy plants.
She also revealed that the government wants to increase recycling rates for easily recyclable materials like glass and metals from 48 per cent to 55 per cent by the end of the decade. As such the government is likely to introduce a glass bottle levy scheme to help meet the target.
You can return to the main Market News page, or press the Back button on your browser.
