The SEPA Minister and Executive Vice Chairperson of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (hereinafter referred to as CCICED), Mr. Zhou Shengxian delivered a special address titled "Focusing on Pollution Reduction and Rehabilitating Rivers and Lakes" at CCICED 2007 Annual General Meeting on November 30. He indicated that the resolution of China's problems in environment and development is a challenging task as well as a significant undertaking for global sustainable development. This lofty mission is very hard to accomplish. The Chinese government will cooperate faithfully with the international community to jointly cope with global environmental challenges and accelerate the establishment of an environment-friendly society.

Minister Zhou first expressed his admiration and appreciation to the work of CCICED for years. He said, ever since the setup of CCICED, a succession of dedicated Council Members and experts have made CCICED in blossom. The Council has proposed many valuable policy recommendations to the Chinese government through their study on many practical issues facing China's environment and development. Its positive contribution to China makes CCICED a role model of international cooperation in the field of environment and development.

Minister Zhou further introduced the positive headways China has made in the field of environmental protection. He remarked that this year, the Chinese government has put energy conservation and emission reduction on high agenda. The State Council established a leading group for energy conservation and emission reduction headed by Premier Wen Jiabao and released a series of major measures and policies. Local governments and all quarters of the society have made more efforts on it. Following strenuous efforts, the first three quarters saw a "double fall" of the total discharge volume of major pollutants across the nation for the first time. The SO2 emissions was down by 1.81% than the same period last year nationwide, and COD was down by 0.28%, showing a shift from increase to decline for the first time. The credit goes to three major types of pollution reduction measures: the first one is project-based pollution reduction. By far, national sewage treatment rate in cities have increased to 60%, while the proportion of installed capacity of thermo-power generation units equipped with desulphurization is lifted to 45% to total coal-fired power units. The second one is reduction through industrial restructuring. In the first three quarters of this year, we have eliminated outdated production capacities in such sectors of cement, calcium carbide, mechanical coke oven, steel and iron by 25 million tons, 400,000 tons, 11 million tons, 9.69 million tons and 8.73 million tons respectively. We have also phased out backward production capacity in the paper making and alcohol industries of 1.7 million tons and 350,000 tons respectively. Additionally, the target of closedown or stopping production of small-scale coal-fired power generation units of or below 10 Gigawatt has been fulfilled two months ahead of schedule. The third is reduction through management. We have resorted to the measure of "banning projects in the whole region" in some areas to cope with serious pollution and outstanding environmental infringement problems. The special campaign to combat environmental non-compliance and safeguard people's health has been initiated, and a number of prominent environmental problems have been rectified.

Minister Zhou pointed out that these achievements were hard earned and they also showed the policies and measures the Chinese government has adopted were very effective and in line with our national conditions. However, we must keep sober-minded and recognize the stern situation we are now facing. In particularly, large scale of blue-green algae has occurred in the Taihu Lake, Chaohu Lake and Dianchi Lake since the beginning of this year, affecting some of the key drinking water sources subsequently. This shows that the rivers and lakes in China are already overloaded. Serious water pollution not only harms people's health and affects social stability, but also restrains the economy from growing sound and fast. Facing increasingly serious water pollution, we have reviewed lessons and experience in dealing with water environment and put forward the policy of rehabilitating water system in light of past experience and laws governing natural succession. We will show humanistic care for rivers and lakes, restore the benign cycle of ecosystem and lay environmental foundation for the sustainable development of the society and economy. The success in rehabilitating rivers and lakes depends on a string of factors such as most stringent environmental protection measures, slash in total discharge of water pollutants, strict conditions on environmental access, prohibition against discharge of toxic and hazardous wastes into water body like heavy metals and POPs, strenuous efforts in the phase-out of outdated production capacity, protection of drinking water sources, acceleration in the treatment of industrial and urban wastewater, appropriate management of water use for living, production and ecological purposes and rational development and use of water resources. All this will ensure the rejuvenation of rivers and waters.

When touching upon the issue of climate change, Minister Zhou highlighted that human society is now confronted with unprecedented challenges from environment, and that climate change is already a threat in reality. He proposed three pieces of suggestion in this regard:

First, all countries should cooperate on the principle of openness and pragmatism. Developed countries should face up to their historical responsibilities and the lingering reality of high level emissions per capita, form stricter objectives in the long run and continue to cut emissions. Developing countries should take active measures and contribute to global fight against climate change according to their own capabilities. Without frank and pragmatic cooperation, we won't make substantial headway in this regard.

Second, the transformation of the mode of economic development is the fundamental way out to cope with climate change. Climate change is fundamentally an issue of development. It is no good to approach it while turning a blind eye to poverty and halting development, nor is it a good option to solely pursuing economic growth without due regard to climate change. The ultimate way out is to transform development mode, accomplish economic development and poverty elimination in a responsible manner for the society and nature and call on prudent use of resources and energy and rejection of extravagance.

Third, technology development and technological cooperation play a decisive role. The international community should increase spending on environmental protection, expand information exchange and enhance technology development and innovative cooperation in energy saving, environmental protection and low-carbon energy sources, strengthen technology expansion and application in particular. We also urge developed countries to make more efforts in the expansion and application of technologies that are affordable and applicable for developing countries.