A new pollution control plan in China has been revealed, which states that Hebei and Shandong provinces, as well as the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin are set to reduce their combined consumption of coal by 83 million metric tons, by the end of 2017. The plan has been presented by the Environmental Protection Ministry on its official website on September 23, 2013 and it marked targets for six municipalities, autonomous regions and provinces in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
The latest plan has a goal to slash the concentration of PM2.5 by around 25 percent from 2012 levels in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The PM2.5 is a particulate matter which is smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter and it can reach deep into the lungs. The plan also aims to slash the PM2.5 concentration by 20 percent in Shanxi and Shandong provinces, as well as by 10 percent in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
Some of the measures measures which will help in achieving the goals are effectively decreasing the capacity of production in many of industries, as well as keeping the total consumption of coal in the region under control. In addition to that, the two provinces will also slash their consumption of coal by a combined 62 million tons in five years.
Chen Yongjiu, the director of the Hebei Development and Reform Commission said that the 60-million-ton quota will be allocated to cities and enterprises on September 27, 2013.
Photo Credits: The China Voice
