In 2006, the State Council promulgated the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Import and Export of Endangered Wild Animals and Plants, Regulations on Scenic Spots and Historical Sites and Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Pollution to Marine Environment by Marine Construction Projects. The Ministry of Supervision and SEPA issued the Provisional Regulations on the Displinary Action against Environmental Infringements and Dicipline Violations. Ministry of Information Industry issued the Regulations on the Management and Control of Pollution by Electronic Information Products. SEPA has issued such regulations as the Provisional Rules on Public Participation in EIA, Measures on Supervision and Inspection of National Nature Reserves, Measures on the Administration of Environmental Statistics, Measures on Environmental Complaints by Letters and Visit, Measures on the Administration of Safety Permit for Radioactive Isotopes and Devices, Measures on the Administration of the Environmental Safety of Pathogenic Microbe Laborotary, Regulations on the Quality of Environmental Monitoring, Measures on the Administration of the Revision of National Environmental Protection Standards and Measures on Environmental Administrative Reconsideration and Administrative Response to Lawsuit.

In 2006, China issued 118 various environmental protection standards. Among them, 2 were national (control) standards for pollution discharge; 113 were national industrial environmental protection standards and 3 for national policies on pollution prevention and control technologies.

In 2006, the total investment in environmental pollution treatment across China was 240.28 billion yuan, of which 131.43 billion went to urban environmental infrastructure construction; 49.27 billion were for industrial pollution source treatment; while 59.58 billion were investment in environmental protection of "three synchronization" of new construction projects. In 2006, the total investment in environmental pollution treatment of the entire country represented 1.15% of GDP.

In 2006, the emissions of SO₂ nationwide hit 25.888 million tons, up by 1.5% than that of 2005; COD discharges reached 14.282 million tons, up by 1.0%. On the whole, the target of reducing major pollutant discharges by 2% set down at the beginning of 2006 had been failed. However, the growth level of SO₂ and COD discharges in 2006 have fallen by 11.6 and 4.6 percentage points respectively than that of 2005.

Entrusted by the State Council, SEPA Minister Zhou Shengxian signed the responsibility agreement on the reduction of water pollutants discharges during the 11^th "Five-Year" Plan period with 9 provincial governments including that of Hebei, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Guangdong on July 21 of 2006.

In 2006, the Monitoring Network of National Coastal Sea Area Environment continued their inspection of the pollution sources discharging directly into the sea by monitoring 587 sewage discharging outlets with daily discharge volume exceeding 100 m³ and initiating the monitoring of pollutants at 156 river sections converging with the sea at the same time.

Among the 587 pollution sources discharging directly into the sea, 323 were industrial pollution sources, 112 were domestic pollution sources, and 152 were mixed sources. All these sources discharged 3.58 billion tons of sewage in total, of which 487 thousand tons were CODCr, 9.72 thousand tons were petroleum, 46.6 thousand tons were NH4, and total phosphorus 12 thousand tons. Out of all the coastal provinces, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Liaoning saw relatively high volume of wastewater discharge, while Zhejiang, Guangxi and Guangdong loomed large in discharges of CODCr.

The monitoring results of the 156 river sections converging with the sea indicated that the overall quality of river water coming into the sea was rather bad. The total discharge volume of CODMn into the sea was 4.736 million tons, petroleum 67 thousand tons, NH4 976 thousand tons and total phosphorus 245 thousand tons.

In 2006, SEPA was reported on 124 cases of ship related pollution accidents in coastal areas with the total volume of oil leakage up to 1,216 tons. 5 cases were pollution caused by oil or chemicals over 50 tons.

Also in 2006, 89 cases of water pollution accidents concerning marine fishery happened across China, polluting 69 thousand ha. of area and causing 3.065 billion yuan of direct economic losses. Out of them, 8 cases were extremely large fishery pollution accidents with the economic losses surpassing 10 million yuan.

Ozone depleting substances (ODS) include six major types of substances of CFCs, halon, methyl chloroform, CCl₄, methyl bromide and HCFCs. China formally became a member of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1989 and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1991. Ever since then, China has attained noticeable progress.

By the end of 2006, the production and consumption volume of all types of ODS in china dropped to varied degrees compared with the level of the baseline year. In specific, CFCs was down by 72.2% and 78.4%, halon down by 97.6% and 99.5%, trichloroethane down by 70% and 78.2%, the consumption of CCl₄ used in 25 types of auxiliary was down by 87.9%, and methyl bromide down by 23.9% and 71.9%. The target set down in the Montreal Protocol for the present phase had been smoothly accomplished. Since the ODP of HCFCs is rather low (within the range of 0.001~0.11), currently, the Montreal Protocol is asking developing countries to freeze its production and usage from 2016 and finally realize the phase out in 2040. However, due to the rapid growth in demand of HCFCs in recent years, the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol is now discussing the adjustment to the timetable for its phase-out.

Production Volume of ODS of China in Recent Years (in ODP ton)

*The production volume of CCl₄ includes the volume of CCl₄ used as raw material for CFCs and ODS and excludes the volume of that as raw material used for other uncontrolled purposes.

**The final data for the baseline year of CCl₄ (3 years of 1998~2000) is to be determined upon negotiation with related international organizations.

The Consumption Volume of ODS of China in Recent Years (in ODP ton)

From June to November of 2006, SEPA, NDRC, Ministry of Supervision, Ministry of Justice, State Administration of Industry and Commerce, State Administration of Work Safety and State Electricity Regulatory Commission jointly launched the Environmental Protection Special Move on Punishing Illegal Pollution Discharging Enterprises to Safeguard People's Health.

A total number of 1.67 million person.time of environmental law enforcement staff were dispatched nationwide, 720 thousand enterprises were inspected, 28 thousand environmental problem related cases were dealt with, and 3,176 illegal pollution discharging enterprises were clamped down or closed. The seven ministries organized two groups of 13 joint inspection teams to carry out the supervision and inspection of 20 drinking water source protected areas, 44 industrial parks and 207 enterprises in 36 cities (prefectures) and counties of 12 provinces. SEPA and Ministry of Supervision joint published and supervised the handling of 16 environmental lawbreaking cases in 3 batches which involved 133 enterprises in 13 provinces. As a result, 31 principal in chief were dealt with and 2 of them were ascertained of criminal responsibilities. A total number of 5,701 environmental lawbreaking cases were published for supervision of handling across China, among which the handling of 526 were supervised at the provincial level.

SEPA released the Measures on the Information Reporting of Contingent Environmental Incidence to Environmental Protection Competent Department and the Provisional Measures on Emergency Response of Contingent Environmental Incidence of SEPA.

In 2006, SEPA altogether received and handled 161 cases of contingent environmental incidence, 85 more than the previous year. Among them, 3 cases were of extremely severe nature, the same as that of 2005; 15 cases were severe ones, 2 more than 2005; 35 cases were major ones, 17 more than in 2005; and 108 cases were general ones, 67 more than 2005.

Classified by the cause of the incidence, 78 cases (accounting for 48.4%) were environmental incidence of production safety accidents; 36 (accounting for 22.4%) were those of traffic accidents; 22 (accounting for 13.7%) were those caused by illegal pollution discharge by enterprises; and 25 (accounting for 15.5%) were caused by other reasons. Classified by the type of pollution, 95 were water pollution incidence; 57 were air pollution incidence; 7 were soil pollution ones; and 2 were of other types with each type taking up 59.0%, 35.4%, 4.4%, and 1.2% of the total number respectively.

In May 26~27 of 2006, SEPA held a National Work Meeting on Environmental Impact Assessment in Guangzhou. At the meeting, SEPA Minister Zhou Shengxian delivered an important speech on strengthening EIA management work and made the commitment of “providing efficient and convenient service to the people, keeping the work open and transparent, receiving supervision from the society, exercising fairness and impartiality in work, behaving honestly and self-disciplined, conducting the examination and approval procedure rigidly and upgrading efforts in acceptance checkup” to the general public.

In 2006, 820 state level construction projects were applied for approval from various construction units. As a result, SEPA received and handled 761 EIA reports (forms), approved 633 EIA reports (forms) and rejected or delayed the approval of 163 such reports (forms). SEPA also dealt with 48 work plans on EIA of planning and 18 reports, examined and completed 15 work plans on EIA of planning. In addition, 11 new EIA of planning pilot sites were initiated following the previous 5 ones including Inner Mongolia and Dalian.

Also in 2006, SEPA altogether received and handled 339 cases of environmental protection acceptance checkup application (including 229 industrial ones and 110 ecological ones) for construction projects, and 225 projects went through the environmental protection checkup for acceptance procedures (including 147 industrial ones and 78 ecological ones). In addition, 43 construction projects in violation of the "three simultaneity" system were ordered to take rectification measures within prescribed limit of time.

SEPA carried out the comprehensive qualification checkup of Grade A EIA Units for construction projects and qualification authorization extension of Grade B EIA Units across the nation. Following the checkup, 167 units (taking up 83.1% of the total) among 201 Grade A EIA Units were approved of Grade A qualification extension, while 34 (taking up 16.9% of the total) were rejected for such extension in 2006. Among the 733 Grade B EIA Units applying for qualification extension nationwide, the first group of 582 was approved.

Related works on the appraisal and selection of "State-level Environmentally-friendly Projects" were organized and unfolded, 10 projects were finally awarded with the title including the West-east Natural Gas Transport Pipeline Project following the procedures of initial appraisal, second appraisal, review and public notification.

In 2006, SEPA asked local EPA at various levels to launch the environmental risk checkup of 7,555 chemical and petrochemical construction projects examined and approved in recent years totaling almost 1.0152 trillion RMB yuan of investment, among which 127 were at the state level covering 445.9 billion yuan of investment; 7,428 were at or below provincial level with 569.3 billion yuan of investment. The environmental protection departments at all levels issued request for rectification and improvement for 3,794 enterprises and demanded 49 enterprises having severe environmental risks to move to other places. Statistics showed that a newly added investment of 14.05 billion yuan on environmental risk was made to the 7,555 projects after the checkup.

In 2006, SEPA issued the Examination Indicators for National Model City on Environmental Protection during the 11^th Five-Year Plan Period and Its Detailed Rules for Implementation and Regulations on the Development and Management of National Model City on Environmental Protection, which have adjusted existing indicators, standardized such work and further raised the level of NMCEPs.

In 2006, SEPA organized the check and acceptance work on NMCEPs for such cities as Nantong, Tongzhou, Yixing, Taizhou, Jurong, Xuzhou in Jiangsu Province; Huzhou, Yiwu, Zhuji of Zhejiang Province; Jimo, Pingdu, Shouguang, Linyi and Zhangqiu in Shandong Province; Guangzhou and Zhaoqing of Guangdong Province; Quanzhou of Fujian Province; Jiayuguan of Gansu Province; Changde of Hunan Province and Wafangdian of Liaoning Province.

In 2006, 10 cities including Tianjin, Ma'anshan, Langfang, Nantong, Huzhou, Zhaoqing, Quanzhou, Yixing, Jimo and Pingdu won the award of NMCEP, while Pudong New District of Shanghai and BeibeiDistrict of Chongqing were awarded as National Model Urban District on Environmental Protection. Three existing NMCEPs including Shenzhen in Guangdong, Yangzhou and Taicang in JiangsuProvince passed reexaminations

Up to the end of 2006, there were 63 NMCEPs and 5 National Model Urban District on Environmental Protection.

In 2006, SEPA approved the plan for the development of National Demonstration Site on Eco Industry in such places as WuxiXinquIndustrial Park, Qingdao Xintiandi Industrial Park(vein industries), Shanxi Taian Corporation, Zhangjiagang Bonded Area, Shaoxing Paojiang Industrial Zone, Rizhao Economic Development Zone and Kunshan Economic Development Zone. At present, there are 25 National Demonstration Site on Eco Industry.

In 2006, SEPA approved the following places as National ISO14000 Demonstration Site: Huayuan Industrial Area of Tianjin New Tech Industrial Park, Ningbo Bonded Area (export processing area), Nantong Economic & Technological Development Zone, Kunshan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Ningbo Economic & Technological Development Zone, Emeishan Scenic Spot in Sichuan, Qingchengshan—Dujiangyan Scenic Spot in Sichuan and Huangshan Scenic Spot. There were 31 National ISO14000 Demonstration Site up to the end of 2006.

National Conference on Environmental Science and Technology was held in Beijing on August 18-19, 2006. Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan sent a congratulation letter to the conference. Ms. Gu Xiulian, Vice President of the Standing Committee of NPC, Mr. Zhang Rongming, Vice Chairman of CPPCC, Mr. Mao Rubai, Director of the Committee on Environment and Resources of NPC and the heads of over 20 minitries and commissions of the State Council attended the conference. This is the first national conference on environmental science and technology in China with rich contents and far-reaching significance.

National Conference on Environmental Science and Technology has identified the strategy of using science and technology to promote environmental protection, scientific innovation to facilitate the historic transformation of environmental protection and scientific progress to drive leap-frog development of the cause of environmental protection. It initiated national key scientific research project for the control of water pollution and set up National Environmental Advisory Commission and SEPA Science and Technology Commission with the wide "united front" on environmental protection taking shape. In addition, it made the overall arrangements for the implementation of the Some Suggestions on Strengthening the Capacity in Environmental Science & Technology Innovation, which further identifies the guiding policy, goal, key tasks and guarantee measures for the work on environmental science & technology of the next 5~10 years.

In 2006, SichuanProvince, Guangxi, Liaoning Province and Tianjin began the application for eco province (autonomous region or municipality) with total number of such province reaching 13. Zhangjiagang City, Changshu City, Kunshan City and Jiangyin City of Jiangsu Province, Minhang District of Shanghai and Jixian County of Zhejiang Province were among the first to be awarded as National Eco Cities (District or County) on June 6. In cooperation with the development of socialist new countryside, SEPA has developed the Standard for the Development of National Eco Village (Trial).

According to rough estimate, a total of 1.545 million ha land across China was subject to mineral development up to the end of 2006. Among them, 915,000 ha were occupied by tailings, 230,000 ha for open pits and 330,000 ha subsidence due to mining activities.

In 2006, the Central Government appropriated 1.06 billion yuan for mine site environmental control projects, up by 40% than that of 2005. These funds were for 341 projects involving various mines covering over 40 mineral resources of 31 provinces (autonomous region or municipality) and over 10 state-owned big mining companies. According to primary estimate, mining companies across China had rehabilited a total of 44,841 ha land in 2006.

In 2006, the protection of geological relics enjoyed further enhancement. With 150 million yuan special fund of the Central Government for the protection of geological relics, 87 projects were put in place. The fund focused on the protection of geological relics in West China and old industrial bases in Northeast China.

In 2006, 16 new national geological parks and 2 world geological parks began their operation with the amount of national (world) geological parks totaling 81.

Six national geological parks including Mount Tai have been approved by UNESCO as world geological parks. Up to the end of 2006, China had a total of 18 world geological parks.

There were a total of 3.56 million km² across China subject to water and soil erosion, accounting for 37.08% of total national land. Among them, 1.65 million km² were subject to water erosion, taking up 17.18% of national land; and 1.91 million km² subject to wind erosion, accounting for 19.9%. If we classify water and soil erosion area in terms of intensity, 1.62 million km² were subject to slight water and soil erosion, 800,00 km² subject to intermediate erosion, 430,000 km² subject to heavy erosion, 330,000 km² subject to very heavy erosion and 380,000 km² extremely heavy water and soil erosion.

Up to the end of 2006, 91.06% of 951 million rural residents across China (excluding Tibet) got access to improved drinking water sources. Among them, 582 million people got access to tap water, taking up 61.12% of total rural population; 184 million people got access to water from hydraulic press，accounting for 19.35% of total rural population; 15 million people got got water supply from collected rain water, taking up 1.58% of the total; 86 million people got water from other type of primary improvement facilities, accounting for 9.04% of the total population.

Up to the end of 2006, among 252 million rural households across China, 54.95% got access to sanitary toilets. Among them, 32.31% had access to innocuous sanitary toilets; other types of sanitary toilets took up 41.20% of the total.

According to monitoring results on iodized salt consumption in 2006, a total of 2,652 counties (district or banner) across China had carried out iodized salt monitoring and its overall coverage was 96.9%. 96.8% of iodized salt products were qualified, 93.8% of the iodized salt consumed was qualified and 3.1% was found not iodized salt.

According to annual statistics on endemic diseases, there are 1,115 districts and counties across China subject to fluorine poisoning endemics due to drinking water involving 113,354 villages and 81.63 million people. The amount of counties where the endemic is under basic control is 189. 1.34 million people suffer from bone fluorosis due to drinking water. In 2006, 735 endemic villages improved their drinking water benefiting 842,000 people. Accumulated 51,002 endemic villages have been improved their drinking water supply benefiting 42.049 million people. 45.0% endemic striken population had improved drinking water supply and 76.5% of such facilities under normal operation. 35,672 endemic villages of 201 counties (districts) were suffering from fluorosis due to coal burning involving 36.241 people of 8.6913 million households. 24 counties have met basic control standard. 1.957 million people were suffering from bone fluorosis due to coal burning. 419,000 households improved their stoves or kitchens in 2006 benefiting a population of 1.992 million. A total of 3.203 million households have improved their stoves or kitchens, accounting for 36.85% of the total, 71.8% of them under smooth operations.

According to investigation, 385,300 people in 425 endemic villages from 35 counties (districts) across the country were subject to arsenic poinsoning due to drinking water with 15,000 patients. 246 of such villages have improved their drinking water supply benefiting 247,000 people. 58% endemic areas have finished the improvement of their drinking water supply. 91% were in normal use. 310,000 people of 20,332 households from 276 endemic villages from 12 counties (districts) across the country were subject to arsenic poinsoning due to coal combustion with 15,000 patients with 16,000 victims. A total of 4,471 households in arsenic endemic striken areas had improved their stoves and kitchens. The accumulated amount of such household was 20,306. 88.2% of the improved stoves and kitchens could be in normal use.

358 counties (districts) across China were subject to Kaschin-Beck disease, 208 of which had basically controlled the endemic. There were 740,500 victims of Kaschin-Beck diseas, 33,200 of them were under 12 year's old.

According to investigation results, 327 counties (districts) across China had the endemic of keshan disease, 257 of them had basically controlled the disease.A total of 40,500 people were subject to the disease with 30,000 latent cases and 10,500 chronic cases.

Up to the end of 2006, 97 cities (ditricts) had won the award of "National Garden City (District)" and 10 counties named as "NationalGardenCounty".

Up to the end of 2006, 14 cities including Shenzhen, Dalian, Hnagzhou, Nanning, Shihezi, Qingdao, Xiamen, Sanya, Haikou, Yantai, Yangzhou, Weihai, Shaoxing and Zhangjiagang won the title of "China Living Environment Award". 193 cities or projects won "Model for China Living Environment"，and a total of 35 cities won "China Living Environment Award (Excellent Model City on the Treatment of Water Environment".