China on Friday announced its decision to place a ban on new steel, coking, oil refining, cement, and glass projects in key zones as part of efforts to tackle climate change by reducing pollution and carbon emissions.
According to reports, the plan establishes a zoning system to reduce carbon emissions, with the zones classified as urban areas, main agricultural production areas and key ecological function areas.
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The Chinese government said that it is “strictly forbidden” to increase the production capacity of steel, coking, oil refining, electrolytic aluminium, cement, and flat glass in the key areas.
The plan is also expected to promote the incorporation of coordinated control of greenhouse gas emissions into laws and regulations related to the ecological environment.
The government has since set up a compliance system that will strictly enforce the new policy which intends to “crackdown” on false carbon emissions data and strengthen daily supervision.
The new measure which will be implemented by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Energy Administration, encourages companies with high emissions to disclose environmental information in compliance with Chinese laws.
Story was adapted from Jurist.
