The Department for Environmental Protection has considered a groundwater pollution monitoring and controlling programme which is to be piloted in four provinces around the city. China relies on groundwater for 18% of its water supply, but rapid urbanization, industrialization and deforestation has led to increased pressures on these supplies which are often becoming polluted. The programme will be concentrated on the departments of Beijing, Guizhou, Sahndong, and Hainan; areas where groundwater supplies are vital and where the impact of polluted groundwater has been felt the most. Issues already facing the programmes are a lack of funding to cover the entire areas concerned, as officials believe controlling, monitoring and cleaning the groundwater will be extremely expensive.

 

[Source: China Water Network]

 

 

The initiative to introduce a carbon trading scheme in China was first introduced earlier this year, and now the pilot of this is looking more likely especially in certain products. The pilot would be used to analyse whether or not implementing a carbon trading scheme would help China meet her emissions targets for the next five year plan. First officially put forward in July, the pilot has become more likely to go ahead in the past few weeks. The pilot is expected to look at energy intensive industries as it is in these industries where the biggest impact can potentially be made.

 

[Source: SOHU]

 

 

The end of August was the official Government deadline for Bohai Bay to be both free from pollution from the oil spill earlier this year, and for the oil transporting and refining facilities in the area to be sealed and safe. Though initial tests are showing minimal or no oil debris present in water in the Bay and along the coast, the suspected spill area was at least 5,500 square kilometers, so it is difficult to guarantee that all pollutants have been cleared. The situation of improving the infrastructure in the Bay to prevent other spills from occurring is not entirely clear, though the risk of another spill has been deemed minimal. The analysis of the cleanup is underway, though at present it seems the operation has met several of its benchmarks. It is also not clear how badly the ecosystems in the region have been affected, if not in some cases perhaps damaged beyond repair. Compensation to those whose livelihoods have been damaged or ruined is also a major concern for the authorities.

 

[Source: SOHU]

 

 

 

 

Compiled by David Tubby